Soul Eater: Fury
by Despicable-D
Summary: Fifteen years after the death of Kishin Asura,the brief years of peace were shattered by the interference of a new witch. Now, a new Spartoi takes the stage. Now with Oc guideline(Chap. 43) Movie 2 chapter 1 now up.
1. Chapter Zero

Readers note: Hello to all my readers. Welcome to the first chapter of Soul Eater: Fury. This is my first fanfic so I can't say it will be all that good off the bat, but please bear with me and give me tough, but fair reveiws. Please enjoy.

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Chapter Zero

Berlin, Germany

10:30 PM

It stalked the streets this night, as it had done every night for the two months since it was created. "Or maybe I was changed, or perhaps I was born this way", it thought, not really caring. All it knew were two things. One: to protect its master which created it and helped it hunt and two: it was always hungry for human souls.

Now it spotted its prey and its lips, or rather, its mandibles moistened. A young girl, possibly 15 or 16 years of age, walked down the streets alone tonight. It loved to eat young souls and it loved this part of the ploy the most for it always went the same way.

"Excuse me my sweet fraulein, but is it truly safe to be out this late?" Right on cue.

The girl jumped as the tall man walked from the shadows. His sleeked back hair, glasses, and overcoat suggested a medical profession of some kind- perhaps a surgeon. "Oh I did not mean to frighten you. I assure you I am not the monster," he said.

The girl knew of what the doctor was referring to: for the past two months a string of murders had occurred in Berlin. Witnesses report seeing some huge, hideous creature that resembled some sort of serpent or maybe a large insect. Whatever it may be, it had brought the night in Berlin to a hush. Only the bravest, or most foolish dared leave their homes at night.

"Come, my hospital is only around the block. Let us leave the night to the creature," the doctor said, offering his hand. The girl complied, and he noticed she wore pair of leather gloves, like those a construction or possibly a road worker would wear.

Curious.

Not overly concerned, the surgeon led the girl to a dark alley. The same dark alley where his creature now waited patiently. As the darkness closed about her, she felt the doctor's hand release hers and she was vaguely aware of a loud snapping sound. Too late. The creature lurched forward, letting the light reveal its abominable visage.

It was a creature of amalgamation. A twisted scientist's idea of the perfect hunter. The creature resembled a colossal centipede but its form and what it actually was were very different. Its legs were one thousand stamping and clawing human limbs. Its body was many human torsos sewn together and its head resembled that of a bald human male with a pair of synthetic insectoid pincers for teeth.

It towered over the girl, waiting for her fear to take hold.

But nothing happened.

She just stood there, looking up at the thing which could swallow her whole. The creature didn't get it. It couldn't understand this new development, couldn't comprehend that it was the one being hunted.

It started as tiny little stings running up its back but became sharp painful impacts. It turned its hideous head to see another young girl aiming what appeared to be a small crossbow attached to her wrist. She loosed another arrow.

It was aimed straight at the creature's face. It turned aside so that the arrow would smack into the ground instead, but then the projectile exploded in a flash of bright light. Blinded, the creature threw back its head and screeched in fear. It bolted back down the alley, looking for sanctuary from the girl and her stinging bow. Its vision cleared enough to see down the alley and to who blocked its path.

A young man not much older than the two girls, with red hair that nearly covered the nape of his neck stood in its way. He took a side ways stance, gripping something tied to his waist while his gaze did not waver from the thing. In no mood for a fight, the creature leaped ahead with its teeth bared.

With one precise tug, the red haired boy revealed his weapon: a long, silver katana with a white hilt and a guard shaped after a cherry blossom in bloom. Suddenly the creature felt much lighter, as the boy, just as quickly returned the blade to its sheath. It hit the ground at the boy's feet, struggling on legs that no longer had hands or feet. The girl with the crossbow caught up and now leveled another arrow at its face. It knew the end was coming.

"Stop!"

The two looked back down the alley to see the surgeon, with a desperate look in his eyes, holding a scalpel at the first girl's throat. "Toss your weapons aside or this good, young fraulein's blood is on your hands!" The two didn't move, only the boy crossed his arms as if he were waiting for something.

"Do you think I'm bluffing?" The doctor shouted, getting angry. "I assureyou, I am not a kind man who shows mercy. Now do as I say!"

The response came from his hostage. "Its not that they think you're a kind man, it's just that they know I'm not much of a "good, little fraulein". The girl's voice was gruff, almost boy like. Suddenly the surgeon heard a snap and then a clinking sound as his scalpels blade was snapped clean off the handle.

The man backed away, taking the girls hood down with him. She had long, light brown hair that was pulled back and braided, her eyes were a deep maroon that practically glowed with bloodlust. She pulled the sleeve of her right arm and removed the glove on said arm, revealing her weapoin. What seemed to be scales ran up the length of her forearm. They had a bright red color to them with blue lines that ran up the middle and grew out as her fingers.

"Doctor Franz van Krieger, creater of the human chimera: Homo-sapien Centipede" the girl stated walking forward and grabbing Franz by the collar. "Your name is on shinigami's list." With super human strength, the girl lifted him off the ground and over her head, tossing him down the alley to smack into the mutilated and still struggling body of his pet.

The girl's comrades jumped back, standing shoulder to shoulder with their brown haired friend. "We'll be taking your soul now." The girl with the crossbow announced coyly.

"Resonance link!"

They all called , as a huge globe of white energy took shape around them. With one last desperate bid for life, the centipede lunged forward to cover its master.

The attempt was futile. The brown haired girl with the crossbow went first. Loading a white arrow of pure energy into place, she aimed high- straight up and let it loose. The creature saw hope, then suddenly the arrow burst in midair into a thousand tinier arrows which sailed down and pinned both Franz and his monstrosity to the ground.

The arrows didn't hurt but they did there job. Next the red haired boy rushed forward again, pulling out his katana and as he passed he resheathed it again.

Franz watched in horror as his creation broke apart at the stiching he'd connected the things body together with. The creature's upper body was the only thing that still moved. It turned just in time to see the finale as the last girl readied her finisher. Her demonic looking arm now had a purplish glow at its core as did her right eye.

Her charging phase complete, she loosed her ultimate attack with her other arm gripping her demonic one, which now pointed straight out at her two targets. A ball of redish energy exploded from her open palm, speeding down the alley and exploding as it hit Franz and the Homo-sapien Centipede.

The dust cleared and where the two evil beings were, now floated a pair of red orbs. These were kishin eggs. The souls of those who do evil and devour the souls of innocents.

All three relaxed and their partners retook human form. Beside the red haired boy his sword changed into a young japanese girl with long black hair and wore what appeared to be some type of school uniform similar to what the brown haired girl wore minus the long black jacket.

Beside the blond girl now stood a young man that seemed younger than the rest, since he stood at least a few inches shorter than the red haired boy. Finally, after removing her black jacket that was too big for her, the brown haired girl's right arm returned to normal- as a boy who was much taller than all the others and possessed the same demonic looking arm the the girl used earlier.

He retrieved his jacket from the girl and slipped it on over his red t-shirt. He casually walked down the alley, grasped both souls in his hands, turning to his friends and said in the said gruff manner as the girl before:

"How the hell are we supposed to divide these evenly?"

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Note: Alright, end of chapter zero. I think this is a good intro chapter and I will officialy begin the story, and reveal more about these characters next update. But first:

I do not own Soul Eater or its characters.

I do not own the concept of the demonic arm, it was based off of Nero's From DMC4.

I do not own the human centipede which this chapter's villian is based off of.


	2. A chance encounter

A chance encounter. Has it been 15 years already?

Shibusen Academy America , Main HQ

6:00 am

"Shibusen Academy for Weapon Meisters. Forever standing watch over Death City. It is here that young meisters train, learn, and cooperate to protect the civilians of the peaceful planet from the many things that go bump in the night. As well as train their partners, their "weapons", into becoming Death Scythes: the ultimate weapon of the God of Death Shinigami. This is the story of of one such trio of meisters and their trusted weapons"

"How disappointing," grumbled Shinigami , watching the sky. "Everything is so uneven. The clouds are swirled together into who knows what kind of shapes. I can't even see the sun."

Every day for 15 years, Lord Shinigami would watch the sky from atop Shibusen's central spire, always looking for that one beautiful, symmetrical morning where all the clouds would seem to race towards the sun as if in one great canvas of symmet-

"Oi, Lord Death!"

A very loud, very grating voice called him from the ground below. Shinigami didn't need to guess who.

"Hey! Lord Death! You know we need your official blessings to reopen the school. Get down here already."

'Just leave me to my morning meditations. Is that too much to ask Death Scythe?' Shinigami thought to himself. Unfortunately he knew he could not break these certain protocols. After all, he instated them.

"Very well Death Scythe, I'm coming down. Beelzebub!" he called, summoning his magic skateboard and using its ability of flight to lower himself down to ground level.

"Still haven't found your perfect morning of symmetry Kid?" Kid the Shinigami's attendant and death Scythe partner stated, with his toothy smile prominent.

"No. It seems even the Earth itself cannot respect the brilliance of symmetry." He responded begrudgingly. "And for the last time: you are to refer to me as Lord Shinigami in public, Death Scythe Soul Eater," he added.

"We've been friends longer than you've been the god of Death Ki- I mean "Lord Shinigami". The white haired young man responded to his boss and friend. "C'mon. The students will arrive in about an hour. We shouldn't keep them waiting," Soul added, walking back into the academy.

"Why does class always start at 7:30? Why can't we start it at a nice round number like eight..." Kid complained following close behind still grumbling along the way.

"What's taking her so long?" Muramasa Sakuya grumbled to herself, pacing around the living room of her and her partner's apartment.

"Allison-chan, school starts in 30 minutes! What's the hold up?" Sakuya called, irritation obvious by the sound of her voice. Sakuya wasn't really mad at her partner and best friend. She adored her clutzy meister as a sister. It's just that last year the pair hadn't done as well as most were expected to went it came to missions for freshmen, and the two promised they would work 200% harder this year.

"I'm ready, let's go!" Allison Rogers rushed out of her room, donning a similar Shibusen sophomore student uniform as Sakuya.

"You say you're ready but look at your hair, it's going to get in the way like that." Sakuya doted, pulling out the clip Allison used to messily pull back her hair and working to get it back the way Allison usually liked it.

"But we're in a hurry, aren't we?" Allison complained. "We can't be late for our first day of sophomore year."

"We can't have you going to school looking unprepared either. After all, you're hoping to find a boyfriend, aren't you, and I think you're very cute with you're hair braided back. There- all done." Sakuya said, braiding her friends hair back in one long braid. "Now c'mon, we just might make it before the bell." Sakuya grabbed her briefcase as well as Allison's and rushed out the door, her partner in hot pursuit.

"We've still got 15 minutes," Sakuya stated as the two reached the stairs that led up to the academy. Unfortunately, a group of teenage boys were also hanging out nearby- apparently mocking someone who was napping on a neaby bench with his head covered by a large black coat. That is, until one of the boys spotted more appealing prey.

"Forget the bum guys. Hotties: 3 o'clock." He said, looking over at Allison and Sakuya ludely. Sakuya moved to block Allison from the groups, moving backwards slowly towards the stairs. The boys caught up, unfortunately, surrounding the pair.

"Now what're a couple o' babes like you two doing heading towards Shibusen?" One of the boys asked, almost gentlemanly like.

"Ooh I know," another said stupidly, raising his hand. "Maybe they're a pair of big, bad monster killers. Maybe we should be afraid. Ooh," he said, cringing in false horror. The other boys joined in with laughter, one of the boys grabbing the two girls briefcases and tossing them aside.

Sakuya moved to smack the nearest boy but the one who was earlier cringing in fear pulled out a switch blade knife pointing in Sakuya's face.

"Un un uh. You know the rules. You meisters can't hurt civilians- why don't you babes come with us? We know a nice little club where you cuties might find better jo- hurk!" In a moment of desperation, Allison brought her knee up to the knife wielding boy's groin, downing him in an instant.

"Bitch!" One of the boys grabbed Allison by the end of her braid, pulling out the clip she used to put it up, and stopping her attempt to escape the group. "These chicks wanna get rough huh? Fine by me."

Just then something smacked into the back of one the boys' head, knocking him out. The gang turned to spy the culprit, just awakened from his nap by one such briefcase falling on his head. Pulling on his large black jacket the tall, sandy blond haired boy dusted the dirt from his sleeves and looked up at the throng which had disturbed his nap. Sakuya recognized his coat as one the uniforms Shibusen upperclassmen wear, and she decided to take a chance.

"Senpai, please help," She called, damsel-like. The knife wielder pushed the blade closer to her face, trying to silence her as he addressed the intruder.

"Look pal, sorry for waking you up but this has nothing to do with you, so just back away and no one gets hurt." He declared, diplomatically. The older boy regarded the two girls and the throng of boys, clearly understanding the situation. He stepped forward and said "If you're looking for someone to date, I suggest you try with something more appropriate, like a termite or a grub."

The boys pushed the girls aside, focused on the one that insulted them. The stupidest of them ran straight forward, looking to deck the bad mouthed brat. Instead, he found his hand caught by his target's and then violently bent back, bringing him to his knees. Finishing up, the jacket wearing boy brought his knee into his victim's chin, knocking another out cold.

Only the knife wielder and one other were left standing, sweat dripping from their temples. The knife wielding boy rushed forward- trying for a stab. His target caught the blade in his gloved right hand and broke it off, while also bringing his other elbow down on the boys forearm, snapping the bone.

The punk cried out in pain, holding his broken arm to his side. "Who the hell are you?" he cried out, as he backed away.

"At Shibusen they call me Devil Buster, but my real name's none of your damn business," he stated coldly. The punk made a break for it. His partner, not looking to try his luck, followed. The sandy- haired boy retrieved the girls' briefcases and tossed them back to the pair. "You two should be more careful, there're more monsters off Shinigami's list than what's written on it." He turned to leave when Allison called out. "Thank you, Devil Buster Senpai! I really hope we'll meet again in class!"

Buster Arm turned his head back to regard the girl and noticed her sincere smile. Not understanding the earnest friendliness, he kept on walking.

Whoo. End of chapter 2. This is not as easy as it looks. I'll try to update as soon as I can.

I don't own Soul Eater or its original characters.


	3. The lone devil, Will you be our teammate

Authors Note: I am so sorry for the long wait. I really never planned to take this long with an update, but my computer had to be worked on and it took them longer than they expected to fix. So without further adieu: Chapter 2

The lone devil. Would you be our teammate?

An abandoned warehouse, 1:20 pm, one day later

"Dammit, this sucks!" A teenage boy grumbled, cradling his recently broken arm in its sling. "We corner a couple of Shibusen twerps and we got nothin' to show for it," he growled while knocking a crate over in his rampage.

A throng of other teenagers watched with mixed amusement and worry. "So you got beat up by a Couple of shibusen girls. It's not exactly rare," one of the others boys said trying to comfort the hurt teen. The others nodded in agreement.

"It wasn't the girls that did this; it was some bum in a black blazer who called himself Devil Buster. He nearly snapped my arm like a twig!" The teen corrected full of loathing.

"That guy's got monster arm strength," another teen agreed, touching the welt on the back of his head with pain.

Just then the doors of the warehouse parted allowing a tall, older man in a dark suit to walk through, his cane clacking against the floor.

"Interesting story," the old man stated, rubbing his goatee. "This Devil Buster you spoke of sounds like he would make a nice addition to our organization. Perhaps we should invite him to join. What do you think, boys?" He asked the wounded group of teenagers.

"That guy's part of Shibusen too, boss. I don't think he's all that interested in our line of work," the teen with the welt on his head stated matter of factly.

His boss chuckled. "You just leave the negotiations to me. Also, you-"he said, pointing to the teen with the broken arm. "If our young friend doesn't feel like cooperating, I believe you are due some measure of vengeance. I may have just the thing for you."

Shibusen Academy court yard, 3 pm.

Allison turned her head left and right trying to find any sign of her target but could not see him over the many other students of Shibusen Academy.

"Oh! Where is he?" She said in frustration.

"Who?" her partner Sakuya replied curiously. Allison did one last look around before sighing with exasperation.

"Devil Buster-senpai. I was hoping to see him again so we could thank him properly, "she answered, noticing her friend's strange look. "What is it?"

"Fallen for him after only one rescue, huh?" Sakuya asked back with a raised eyebrow.

Allison went red and replied in a panicked way. "N- No it's just that-"

"Just, what?"

Allison wasn't exactly sure how to put it. How she could seem to feel this profound lonely feeling coming off their upperclassmen that she couldn't quite understand.

Still, she wouldn't tell Sakuya. She just might laugh at her.

"It's just that I- um. I lost my hair braid at the park when we were attacked by those boys and I was hoping he could tell me if he knew where it was." It was a horrible lie, but it was the only thing she could say to save her from embarrassment.

Sakuya seemed to accept it though. "Well that's no good. That was a gift from your mother, wasn't it? We need to find it fast or we might not be able to pick up Robyn-kun or Marie-Chan on time."

Allison had nearly forgotten that their friends Robyn Fletch and Mariam Swallowtail were arriving by plane after going home for the summer and that Sakuya and she promised to pick them up. She really didn't want to make them wait over her little lie, but she was in it now, might as well follow through.

The Park beneath Shibusen Academy

Speaking of the afore mentioned hair braid, it was picked up by the most surprising of people. The braid

was designed as a clip to hold Allison's hair back by clamping around the end of her hair and hold it together. Atop of the clip was a gold heart shaped design with a triumphant angel etched into the metal.

Devil Buster recognized the braid he held in his hands and suddenly his thoughts drifted back to the other day, when of brown haired girl who spoke so kindly to him. He shrugged off the memory.

He was always alone, and he wasn't about to add her to the list of people who flinch away when he walks by. He was about to walk off when he realized that he suddenly wasn't alone anymore.

He was surrounded by a group of teenagers, most in rough looking clothing and all wielding a weapon of varying types. In the middle of the throng was an old man with a black goatee, holding a cane with what appeared to be the 3 eyed emblem of the kishin on its top.

The man stepped forward holding out what looked like a business card to Devil Buster.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he said, offering the card. Devil Buster made no move to take it but could read what it said well enough.

T. R. Mori

Master of imports and exports.

"Exactly what is it that you import and export?" Devil Buster asked, though not really interested in the answer.

His host chuckled, beckoning. "Perhaps you would like to discuss such information in a less public area. As well as, perhaps, what part you could possibly play in this wonderful business, hm? "Devil Buster's answer was clear in his expression. "Not interested," he said coldly, looking to leave in the opposite direction.

A familiar face stood to block his way. If D.B. remembered correctly, he broke this same guy's arm just yesterday. He now had an expectant sneer across his face.

"Want me to break the other one" D.B. said, still looking to leave.

"Do reconsider," Mori called behind him. "This might not have to end in violence."

The rest of the gang moved in their weapons hefted at the ready. Devil Buster brought his guard up, more than willing to end this in violence. Suddenly two shapes rushed through the break in the circle to stand at his side.

" Senpai, we'll back you up!" Allison said covering D.B's right.

"You two!" D.B. said in true surprise to see the duo again.

"A whole group of thugs against 3 shibusen students? I can't say I like those odds. Senpai, where's your partner?"

"I don't have one." He said, returning to a serious demeanor. "I work alone."

As if to show his point he shoved passed Allison and Sakuya, aiming straight for Mori with his fist pulled back.

Just before his fist made contact, a gush a flame blasted out in front of him, separating him from Mori.

The flames from what a seemed to originate from along metal pipe sticking from the cast of the boy with the; not so broken anymore, broken arm.

"Like it?" He sneered. "Only one of the perks of working in the black market business. The bitches are yours, guys. Blazer boy's mine." The crowd of thugs didn't seem to mind that deal.

"Well this is looking even worse," Sakuya stated, taking Allison's hand as she took weapon form.

A cloud of blossom petals engulfed her frame and where before stood a teenage girl; now placed firmly in Allison's hand, was a 3 foot long katana with a pure white hilt and a guard shaped like sakura petals. Allison took her stance, tilting Sakuya back and holding her with both hands while placing Sakuya to Allison's right.

The first of the large gang charged forward looking to chop Allison down with his wickedly sharp looking pole axe. Allison struck first. Slicing through the shaft of the axe with a quick a horizontal slash and following up by smacking the back of her sword against the thugs face, knocking him unconscious.

He was only the first of many similar victims and Allison rushed forward slashing at a conscious pace making sure not to make fatal hits.

Another such thug ran forward, holding a twin pair of sickles. This one was smarter and faster than his comrade, ducking and rolling under Allison's slashes, at same time aiming for her throat. Allison parried the near fatal strike though this cost her ground and her offensive lead. The sickle wielding thug rushed forward again looking for another chance.

Suddenly a loud whistling noise became imminent and he was grasping his shoulder in pain. Checking the wound he discovered a shaft less arrow head imbedded in his shoulder and, after looking around, he saw that many of his comrades were suffering similar wounds.

His distraction cost him, as Allison came back around snapping off a round house on the side of his head. Allison looked around now for the source of the save until she heard a pleasantly familiar voice call behind her.

"Could you two please finish this up?"

Allison smiled when she saw her friends, Marie and Robyn, standing behind her, holding off a group of the thugs themselves. Robyn gave her a two fingered wave before taking his weapon form, a quiver arrows wrapped in green leather with an infinity symbol across the side. Marie readied her personal crossbow, wrapping its straps to her arm and loading up an arrow from Robyn's infinite supply.

"Ready, Sakuya-chan?" Allison asked her best friend.

"Let's do it daibo!" Sakuya replied

The girls concentrated all their energy into Sakuya's blade as an orb of blue light took shape around them.

"SOUL RESONANCE!"

Ho-oh hou! (Phoenix cannon)

The blade glowed with a brilliant blue light as Allison swung loose in a horizontal slash. A large crescent shaped blast broke forth from her slash racing toward the group of teens and knocking them all back utterly defenseless.

Marie and Robyn were having similar success. Also performing Soul Resonance, the arrow nocked into place and the crossbow took on a pinkish color as Marie aimed skyward and let loose. As the arrow hit the sky it exploded in a hail of pink arrows and stabbing into the large group of thugs pinning those victim to the shots in place on the ground.

The rest of the thugs had had enough, dropping their weapons to the ground as they ran off.

Sakuya and Robyn retook human forms as the group said their greetings. However, Allison was aware of another fight still going on.

The thug hefted his flame thrower again, still looking to barbeque Devil Buster.

Devil Buster had led him on a chase, running and dodging the burst of flames, all the while waiting for an opening. However he had miscalculated, he realized, as his current position placed him more importantly the flame thrower in the path of Allison and the others.

"Nowhere to run. Bet you wish you had a weapon now, Death Meister." His next funnel of fire was bigger than those before, it would surely burn almost anything in its path.

Almost anything.

Allison looked on in horror as the fire engulfed Devil Buster.

"Devil Buster-senpai!" She called in horror, rushing forward to try and help Devil Buster. Marie suddenly grasped her wrist holding her back.

"Wait! Look, he's still alive."

They all watched in wonder as he parted the fire with a swish of his right arm.

"You all seem to be confused about something, "he announced. "I am my own weapon!"

Ripping off the burnt sleeve of his blazer, he revealed his weapon.

His arm glowed from blue line that ran up the length to his fingers. His entire arm was covered in what looked like blood red scales.

"What the hell are you?" His adversary cried, backing up.

"Like I said, it's none of your damn business."

His arm suddenly burst into flames on its own, as red fire ran up his bicep.

Jumping forward he quickly grabbed the pipe of the flame thrower and lifted the teen up by over his head.

"Devil! Dynamite!"

An explosion engulfed the two boys that knocked Allison's group off their feet.

The boy, now without an arm, broken or otherwise, landed a bit burnt but mostly unharmed.

Devil Buster also walked away from the scene mostly unharmed until someone suddenly grabbed his shoulder. He turned expecting a new enemy only to find the short boy who joined Allison's group, throwing his arm around D.B's shoulder.

"Dude that was awesome. You have got to teach how to fight like that."

D.B. looked confused as the rest of the group crowded around him, asking him about his wounds.

"You're not afraid of me?" he asked. Allison stepped forward, not paying attention to his demonic looking arm. "Of course not! Though we're concerned if you're alright."

He quickly regained his composure. "Well I'm fine," he announced, making a move to leave again when he stopped and turned back to hold out the hair braid to Allison. "This is yours, right? This one looked better anyway."

Allison accepted the braid, blushing in spite of herself. Devil Buster began walking again.

"Wait!" Allison called stopping him in his tracks. "You said you don't have a partner and that you work alone, but I don't think that's the way Shibusen students do things. We should learn to rely on our comrades to become stronger. So- will you consider also becoming my partner?"

Devil Buster turned back around one of his eye brows raised. He looked closely at her expression. She had this look of profound concern on her face. Concern for him.

"I know I'm not that great of a meister, and I'm not all that smart either. But! I promise I'll give 200% into making you and Sakuya into great Death Scythes!"

He turned away from her and crossed his arms as if to think. He stood there for what felt like minutes. Then letting out an exasperated sigh he said:

"Gabriel."

"Eh?"

"My name, my real name." He said, offering his hand.

A smile crept to Allison's face as she eagerly took it and shook it.

"This could become complicated" Sakuya sighed, walking over to them.

"But, still, this guy doesn't seem all that bad. This could be good for you guys after that bad year last time." Robyn interjected, also making his way over to the pair. Sakuya grumbled, not liking him reminding her. Still one other in the group also felt uneasy. Mariam seemed to scan the entire park thinking only one thing. Where did Mori go?

Alright! Great way to start back up, with plenty of action and new friendships formed. I'll try to be quicker next time. Until then, PREVIEW:

Gabriel returns to class having revealed a startling bit of news to Allison and Sakuya. As well as gets into a fight with his self proclaimed greatest rival.


	4. The battle of rivals begins!

The battle of rivals begins. Gabe's return to class?

Shibusen Academy courtyard, 7:20am

"THE DEVIL BUSTER HAS RETURNED!"

The rumor spread throughout the entire school before Gabriel was half-way up the stairs. As he reached the top, he immediately noticed all the familiar body language of those who knew of him:

One group moving away as fast as possible trying to avoid eye contact. While the rest, the more brave, or the more stubborn in his opinion, throwing daggers his way. Sizing him to see if he was really all that dangerous.

This was why he stopped coming here. He was fed up with having to deal with these problems over an incident that happened two years ago. And the only reason he was here in the first place was because his new teammates insisted that he return to classes, especially after what he told them:

Yesterday:

"Why do you all call me senpai?" he asked the girl, who he learned was named Allison Rogers.

" It means upper classmen," she explained, thinking he didn't understand the honorific.

" I know what it means, just, why though?" The girl named Muramasa Sakuya spoke up next, asking, " Well, you are wearing a Shibusen upper classmen blazer." She was referring to his long black coat.

" I only wear this because it's the only thing that fits me. But I stopped attending classes two years ago."

The group of four teens were dumbstruck, definitely not expecting this answer.

"So wait, you're like, a sophomore still. How old are you?" The boy who was barely taller than the girls, named Robyn Fletch, asked.

"I'm 17, and indeed I am still a sophomore. Is that a problem?"

As it turned out it was a big problem to Muramasa, who insisted that she would not let Gabriel be her and Allison's partner if he didn't come to school. The only reason he came was because he felt, for some reason, that he didn't want to disappoint Allison and Robyn who seemed to look forward to him coming.

As he walked into the classroom he was unsurprised to find that everything lowered to a whisper at his entrance. He just caught snatches of conversation, things like: "Why's he in our class? Isn't he a senior?" or "Hey isn't he the one who knocked out-

"GABRIEL. HEY. Sit over here with us."

The call came from one of the upper set of desks where, sure enough, Allison was waving him over along with Robyn and his partner, a girl with blond hair that just reached the top of her shoulders, named Mariam Swallowtail.

All of them wore similar outfits to what they wore yesterday. Both Allison and Sakuya wore the basic Shibusen school uniforms, pink with a white collar for Allison and blue with a green collar for Sakuya. Robyn wore a long sleeve green shirt with jeans, and a green cap lain nearby on the desk. Mariam wore a more frilly outfit which was basically a long sleeved, white dress with a light magenta shawl wrapped around her.

Allison's call seemed to hush the whispers around the class and suddenly the eyes weren't just on Gabriel anymore as he made his way up to the row of desks where the others sat.

He seated himself in the seat between Allison and Mariam.

The class all looked forward as the teacher walked in. She wore a two piece women's pants suit and had long red hair. Though it had been two years, Gabe recognized her well enough.

"Good morning class." She said, addressing them with a scanning glare, almost daring anyone to start making a commotion. She then spotted Gabriel sitting in one of the back rows of desks. He looked back at her, his chin resting on his gloved hand, and simply shrugged.

"Well, it seems we have one more late comer who really should have called ahead to say he was actually attending this year." She said now leading all eyes back on Gabriel.

"Good morning to you too, Hisako." He replied. Gasps went up around the class, everyone stunned by his casualness and apparent familiarity.

"Its Fujiri-sensei to you, Gabriel. And as to your late arrival to our dear school, I do hope you're aware of our rule." Robyn and Marie groaned. Gabe lifted his eyebrow, confused.

"You see, I expect my late arrivals to have spent their out of school periods preparing for class. Failure to do so wins you double homework for the semester. And the only way we make sure this of this is with a pop quiz."

Groans were sounded all around the classroom, everyone already remembering yesterday, when Robyn and Marie arrived.

Gabriel wasn't fazed. He only yawned as he looked over the test paper.

They all left class at the bell, heading toward their next period. As they made their way out Gabe noticed how Robyn walked next to Marie, his arm around her shoulders.

He wondered if this was some display of affection until he noticed Robyn seemed to be guiding her and even stopping her when an obstacle moved in their path. Allison caught him looking.

"Marie was born blind. Robyn is sort of like her body guard," she explained, noticing his look of astonishment which he quickly tried to hide. Allison giggled. He looked at her, confused.

"You don't like people seeing you off guard do you? You need to learn to relax. I mean, take Marie for example. Do you think it bothers her that people look down on her for being blind? She's one of the best meisters in our grade because she's trained her sixth sense to replace her sight."

"She sees using Soul Perception." Gabriel clarified.

"Right. She doesn't hide her faults, she turns them into her strength. You don't have enemies here, so try to relax." Allison said, smiling that sincere smile.

Gabe went rigid as he looked ahead. "I wouldn't be sure of that."

At the other end of the hall a teenage boy stood, with a 6 foot long spear leveled in Gabe's direction.

"You the Devil Buster I heard about?" he asked, glaring at Gabriel. Gabe just glared back Allison stepped between them.

"Wait! Class is about to start. We can't go starting fights."

Suddenly the spear wielding boy fell forward, unconscious, and behind him stood a boy with dark brown hair. He wore a sleeveless vest with a black t-shirt with the Japanese symbol for sky printed on it in white, though he appeared to be Chinese. The boy kneeled down to check on the guy he just knocked out.

"Sorry friend, but I've got first dibs on him," he said, then turning to Gabriel and the others.

"Its been a long time D.B," he said with an grin plastered across his face.

Gabriel's glare turned back into annoyance.

"Ugh. Not you." Gabriel sighed.

"Gabe, you know this guy?" Robyn asked.

"Of course he knows me. After all me and him are eternal rivals!"

The others looked at Gabe for an explanation. He shrugged.

"Lets take this outside." The boy said, hopping out of one of the school windows to land safely in the courtyard.

Allison looked at Gabe, wondering what he'd do next. He looked back at her.

"I'll catch up." he said moving toward the window.

"Don't you dare try to ditch after the duel. We're making sure you stay the whole school year this time," Sakuya warned. Marie nodded, agreeing with her completely.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gabriel hit the ground feet first standing to face his opponent.

"It's been two years since our last duel and this time I intend to win," the boy said standing next to his partner, a girl wearing a very peculiar outfit. She appeared to be Japanese, like Sakuya. She had dark hair, though she had it tied up in a military bun and covered it in a blue beret. Her outfit seemed military-like as well. She wore a sleeveless blue vest with combat fatigues and baggy black pants.

"Sora, let's rock it." he said to the girl who was apparently named Sora.

"Right!" She said expectantly. A white light enveloped her form and then shifted to cover the boys leg. Sora's weapon form was that of a metallic silver boot that spread up the boys leg to his knee. There was a pair of razor edged wings attached on either side of his heel.

"Ready to go Gabe?" The boy asked, bringing one arm forward, straight out and the other pulled back level with his head, his hands balled into fists.

Gabe shrugged out of his blazer and laid to the side. He pulled up the sleeve of his red sweat shirt to reveal his demonic arm.

"Just waiting for you, Wu." Gabe answered the boy named Wu Tian. He brought his own arm forward but with his palm wide open and his balled fist pulled back beside his torso.

"HOLD IT!"

Both boys jumped as a man in a brown trench coat stepped between them . He lifted up his white fedora to get a better look at the two.

"Hey Gabe. Heard you finally made some friends kiddo," the man said to Gabriel

"Thomas," he greeted back.

"You two know you aren't allowed to duel…"

Wu looked anxious, not wanting to be interrupted.

"-without an active staff member to referee." He smiled at the two.

"Gabe, try to keep the collateral damage to a minimum. Shinigami was already steamed after your last fight broke off two of the spires."

Gabe nodded, now expectant as his opponent.

"**And**

**Begin!"**

In Hisako's classroom, around the same time.

Fujiri Hisako was busying herself, grading papers from the pop quiz.

Robyn Fletch: C+ ( Just barely made the mark as all ways)

Allison Roger: B ( Good work as always. )

Mariam Swallowtail: A- ( To be expected of one of their best.)

Muramasa Sakuya: A+ ( Excellent work! )

She rifled through the pile, circling wrong answers and writing out scores. Near the bottom of the pile she found the one she was most expectant of.

Gabriel: A-

She smiled as she checked the work. And as she did, she thought to herself: _That's my boy._

Whoo! I am running on fumes here. As always reviews are always appreciated.

On another note if anyone can guess who Sora was cosplaying as, I will take suggestions for her future outfits because it will always change.

Hint: This version of that character is in a popular fighting game.

Preview: The fight between Wu and Gabe is under way and we finally meet our mysterious 3rd lead.


	5. Rival Battle 2, Origins of DB?

Yes! A review! (_does happy tap dance)_. As to your comment, only the design of the arm is based off of Nero's Devil Bringer.

All right! Time for what you people read this for.

And…. Action!

The battle of rivals begins ( Part 2). Origins of the infamous Devil?

"And… Begin!"

Thomas hadn't even thrown his arm down before Wu rushed forward, faster than the eye could see, smashing his open palm into Gabriel's stomach. Gabe was sent flying back, the breath explicably knocked out of him. Wu wasn't done with him yet.

"Jet Step!" He called, suddenly popping up at random spots as he made his way to Gabriel.

His super speed gave him the momentum he needed as he jumped, flipping in mid-air to position both his heels in a double axe-kick. Gabe's demonic hand suddenly shot up, grabbing Wu's foot before it made contact with his head. Using his strength, he hefted his opponent over his head and slammed him to the ground.

It was Wu's turn to have the wind knocked out of him.

Moving in on his downed opponent, Gabriel pulled his fist pack, now ablaze, and smashed it against the ground.

"Ifrit Grenade!" A column of flames rose up as his fist met the ground, engulfing the pair.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In a far off corner of the courtyard, a picnic seemed to be being held, the ensuing fight clearly not bothering the group of three girls and one red-haired boy wearing a white button up jacket.

"Most impressive," the red haired boy said, sipping his tea from a Japanese style cup.

"What is, Daniel-kun?" A Japanese girl with medium length brown hair asked, offering him the teapot for seconds. She wore the traditional kimono of a girl who trained in kendo.

"Simply the basis of this duel itself, Hana-chan." He replied, accepting the offered tea. "Fights where conflicting attributes clash are always so exciting. Especially with combatants of this caliber," he added, gesturing to the column of flame as Wu back-flipped out, landing easily away, checking himself and his partner, Sora, for injuries. Gabriel stepped out after him, the flames dying down behind him.

"Most impressive indeed." A girl with a heavily Latin accent agreed. Her long dark hair flowed around her shoulders. She wore an equally majestic looking dress, with a repeating pattern of red, then pink covering her frame. " But they are nothing compared to you _mi amor_." She added quickly.

"Ever the lovely little kiss up, ay Rosa?" The tallest of the group inquired. She possessed a thick Irish accent. She had long blond hair which she tied up in a pony tail. She wore jeans and a leather jacket over a white concert tee. She belched as she slurped from her soda, watching the fight with mixed interest.

"Only as long as you continue to be a brutish, pig of a woman, my dear Fauna." Rosa shot back, glaring at the much taller girl.

"Now girls, don't fight." Hana said, getting between the two.

They looked ready to argue when they noticed a sudden shift in the atmosphere. They both took worried glances in Hana's direction and though she was still smiling, an ominous aura seemed to flow off her.

"Don't. Fight." She repeated. Both of them backed down, fearful.

Daniel chuckled to himself. 'She's so much like her brother, deep down,' he thought to himself. His mood shifted at the thought of her brother. Yes that was the day, wasn't it? The day I caused your shunning by the student body.'

Flash back 2 years ago: Daniel's p.o.v.

"_Leon! Get over here you sister stealing bastard."_

_It was two years ago in the school cafeteria. Hana's brother, Nagi, had me cornered. His every insult over what he thought of me were nothing new to me but it seemed today he wouldn't be sated with just words._

"_If you're even half the warrior she says you are, I back off, but not until I take a chunk from your hide." He announced, his hand turning into the three pronged tip of a trident._

"_I have no reason to fight a pointless battle with you, Nagi-san." I said honestly._

"_Spoken like a true cowardly lion," he said, thrusting his arm forward thus causing it to stretch and extend my way. I easily side stepped it. The man who stood behind me wasn't so lucky as the blade clipped him, slicing a bloody gash across his cheek._

_Nagi backed away apologetically. However his mistaken victim was hearing none of it as he rushed forward smashing his fist into Nagi's face, blood covering his own face as he broke Nagi's nose. He finished up as Nagi hit the floor, stomping down on Nagi's chest as he left._

_I watched with mixed awe and shock. Awe that any could actually defeat Nagi. Shocked that anyone could defeat a Death scythe in an instant. Everyone except the mysterious boy was aware that Nagi was a Death scythe and that cost him as he was immediately made into a thing of fear to the student body. And was soon given the name Devil Buster._

"Danny. Oi! Danny!" Fauna woke him from his memories, gesturing back toward the fight.

Gabriel dusted off his blazer, keeping his eye on his opponent. Wu shook the soot from his own clothes, glaring back.

"That's not like you. You missed on purpose. You usually try to end things as soon as possible," he stated, sending a questioning look Gabriel's way.

"I can say the same for you." He shot back. "That sucker punch before could of downed a weaker enemy. Usually you try to drag things on as long you dare."

" I can't afford to pull my punches if I plan I to win. And I do plan to win." Wu assured, returning to his Xiao Lin stance.

" I've been doing nothing but take naps since I left. I need to get back my old rhythm. So try to make this enjoyable." Gabe said back, taking his own stance.

Wu smiled as they both charged forward.

Wu again was the quicker of the two, snapping off a roundhouse kick that Gabriel barely had time to block. Gabriel countered with a straight punch into Wu's chest, knocking him back. Gabriel ran forward for another punch. Wu brought up both his arms to block the next contact, but Gabriel slowed last minute and broke through Wu's guard with an uppercut.

He quickly spun back around in a reverse round house kick against the side of Wu's head, sending him flying against the school walls and making a Wu sized crater.

A/N: Hit the music:

Supernova-by Tetra Fang

_Afuredasu, kanjou ga_

_Kono karada tsukiyaburi_

_Toki o tokashi najimatta… next stage_

Wu wasn't gonna let that slide as he broke out of the rubble. He charged Gabe with a flurry of punches with Gabe jumping back to avoid the blows. Wu changed tactics, bringing his leg up in a Mui Tai like stance. Gabe knew what was coming and brought up his guard just as the wings on Sora's heel started spinning. Wu brought his armored leg back and then swung out sending the wings soaring like a pair of boomerangs.

_Itsumo tarina kutte_

_Iiwake teki na akirame _

_Zutto tsumiagete ita kakusu you ni_

The blades sliced through the air at Gabriel. He saw Sora's reflection in those blades so he knew he couldn't dodge them. So he went with a different approach.

He took a spread legged stance as his feet were covered in his red flames. As the two blades zoomed close he unleashed his special attack.

"Djinni Wing!" He called out, sending the blades flying back at Wu with a reverse round house kick combo.

_Dokoka toomaki ni_

_nagameteta you na keshiki_

_Kyuu ni te no hira no ue konagona ni kudake chiru_

_Kono kimochi no ikiba oshiete_

Wu caught both blades easily and returned them to their position on his heel.

"Sora, let's end this!" he said getting to a crouching position and leaning on his armored leg.

"_Right_! Wu-kun," she agreed, as she concentrated to increase their resonance rate.

"Soul Resonance!"

The wings on Sora's heel grew out as a pair of energy wings. Wu hit the sky, flipped and came down in a flying side kick.

Gabe saw the danger and readied his own finisher, causing his demonic arm to burst out in red flames.

_Seigyou funou atsui honoo_

_Tomadoi o yaki harai _

_Kinou made no kankaku wasureseru_

_No one ever knows boku no oto_

_Doko made mo shinka suru_

_Made shiranai jibun ga mezameteku_

_Supernova!_

"_Hissatsu: Meterora!"_

"_Devil! Dynamite!"_

Both finishers clashed causing a mini explosion and covered the courtyard in smoke.

"Who won?" Rosa coughed against the smoke.

"Look, someone just went flying out!" Hana realized, watching as Gabriel was thrown out and hit the ground with a painful skid.

The smoke cleared as Wu stared at his downed enemy in awe.

"I won?" He asked no one in particular. He repeated this as Sora retook human form throwing her arms around him.

"We did it Wu-kun!" She said, wrapping him in a big hug. Wu hugged her back and swung her around in his merriment yelling out, "Whoo hoo! I beat him. We won Sora!"

Their celebrations were cut short as a swarm of other Shibusen students gathered around the beaten Gabriel.

"Ha this is the terrifying Devil Buster. I've seen more ferocious puppy dogs."

"You aren't anything special. How could a weakling like this beat a Death scythe."

The throng continued this onslaught, throwing things and one brave student even went as far as trying to step on Gabriel. However this was folly as Gabriel's demonic arm blazed up again and created an explosion which scattered the frightened students.

Wu watched in shock as Gabriel picked himself up out of the dirt and worked the soreness from his muscles. He gave Wu, Sora, and Thomas sidelong looks and muttered "See ya.," as he limped toward the school.

"You threw the fight?" Thomas asked him as he caught up to him.

"He said he wanted to win, I said I wanted a workout. This way we both go home happy."

Wu didn't look happy to Thomas's opinion as he seemed to be beating the ground, cursing himself, Gabe, and what sounded like God for making him so miserable.

"C'mon. I'll take you to Natsumi's infirmary," Thomas said, patting Gabe's shoulder.

"Can't. I have a promise to keep. I have to catch up with my team," he replied, continuing his slow limp back to the school.

Thomas took off his white fedora and scratched his head, confused at how much his young friend had changed.

Gabriel stumbled into the classroom halfway through class. He heard the same whispers as he heard in Hisako's class. But they weren't what he focused on as he took his seat beside Allison and Sakuya. Their smiles made him feel like the most welcome guy in the world.

My experience at writing action scenes may be short, but I hope you like it.

The song Supernova belongs to the band Tetra fang

I do not own Soul Eater or its original characters.

Preview: The series continues as Allison, Marie, and Daniel are sent off on mission together to hunt an illusive but dangerous mummy. Further secrets about Gabriel are revealed.


	6. The first mission

Hey all! Hope you liked our last little update, cause were keeping the ball rolling.

**The first mission! I'm scared of myself?**

The death room, 2:30pm

"Well it's nice of all of you to meet me here on such short notice." Lord Death greeted each of the teens gathered in his office.

Gathered around him were Allison and Sakuya (in their usual uniforms), Marie, and her partner, Robyn, who seemed busy looking over the two who joined them for this meeting. Daniel Leon and one of his partners, Kadoya Hana, sat to the right of the group, Daniel offering his chair to Hana, though all the other meisters were seated.

"Well it seems we have some late arrivals. Rogers, Leon, where are the rest of your groups?"

Daniel spoke up first.

"I'm afraid Rosa was too preoccupied with what outfit she wore to this meeting that she seems to have made herself late, while dear Fauna, it seems, couldn't be bothered to wake from her afternoon nap. She unfortunately could not attend." He spoke in an even, but polite pace

Shinigami rubbed his temples, flabbergasted at the lack of responsibility. "And as to Devil Buster?" He addressed Allison.

"After his big duel the other day we asked him to check into the infirmary so Ms. Natsumi could check him for injuries," she stated, just as Soul Eater walked in with Gabriel behind him.

"Seems like he didn't bother, since I found him roaming the hallways outside, waiting for you guys." Soul took his place beside Shinigami.

Gabriel simply nodded to the group and took his place beside Allison and Sakuya, leaning against the side wall with his gloved hands in his pockets.

Shinigami sighed. "Well since you're all here I suppose I'll explain why you've been gathered here. I want all of you to go to Cairo and…."

The group all leaned forward, expectantly. With the exception of Gabriel who already looked bored.

"Hunt a mummy."

They all collapsed comically.

" That's it? A mummy! Not even a whole army of mummies!" Robyn complained, rudely.

Sakuya used her inherit powers to bring out her blade so that it popped out of the middle of her palm.

"Muramasa Chop!" She said, clubbing him on top of the head with the blunt end.

"Don't interrupt Shinigami!" She hissed as Robyn cradled his beat in skull.

"As I was saying…" Shinigami continued clearing his throat. " The mummy I'm sending you all after is immense in size and has been causing destruction in neighboring villages for weeks. Now it is making slow progress to Cairo. We sent ahead a warning so you shouldn't be worried about civilian welfare, for now we're sending you three teams to finally put the creature down."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

With their mission given, the group made their preparations and met back at the Death Rail station. The death rail was basically a one stop underground subway system that crossed the planet to all continents so Meisters and weapons could more easily get to their destinations without losing the trail of their prey.

Daniel had been placed as temporary captain of this temporary team. He pleasantly chatted with Allison, Sakuya and Marie as well as his own three team members while Robyn and Gabe had been 'pushed to the other side of the bus' as it were.

"Great! Our great leader is some princely playboy and his gang of floozies." Robyn grumbled to himself while Gabe looked on, unconcerned.

Someone however was just within ear shot to have heard him.

Hana calmly walked over to address Robyn. "Please do not speak ill of Daniel as well as the rest of my team, if you would be so kind."

She smiled.

The room suddenly went quiet. Everybody clearly picked up on the menacing aura surrounding the young woman. Everyone except the idiot in the room, who noticed everyone cowering away from the two of them.

"What's wrong with you wimps? Gabe, check them out." He suddenly found himself talking to an empty seat as Gabe had sat himself beside Allison, his blazer's hood pulled down and his head low.

"Traitor!" Robyn called as he was pulled into a terrifying conversation with the menacing Hana.

Allison brought her head low to speak to the cowering Gabriel.

"I guess there are things even you're afraid of."

"There are a lot of things I'm afraid of," he replied honestly.

"Such as what?" She inquired, but then thinking it was rude, wished she hadn't.

He looked at her, questioningly. "I suppose I'm afraid of what I can do. And what trouble it causes."

"That's crazy! You done nothing but help me and Sakuya since we met you. Nobody can hate you for that." She smiled at him reassuringly.

Gabe didn't look sure.

Cairo, Egypt 5:00 pm

The group was on high alert as they took up positions at the designated entry point that the mummy was predicted to take.

Each of the group had their weapons ready. Sakuya rested comfortably in Allison's hand, reverse handed, her sheathe covering her blade. Robyn was slung over Marie's shoulder as she readied her personal hand crossbow. One would assume Daniel was uncomfortable being waited down by weapons as he was but he seemed perfectly content holding Hana closely, after she took her weapon form as a Naginata with a red shaft. Rosa's form was that of a Spanish fencing sabre belted at Daniel's side, and Fauna was strapped across Daniel's back in her sheathe as a leather gripped, two handed, great sword. Gabriel took a less than enthusiastic position, leaning against the side of a nearby building, his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

They all took up positions behind walls and on top of buildings as they waited for their quarry to appear.

It didn't keep them waiting.

Gabe's eyes suddenly shot open as he jumped from his spot just as it came crashing down. The building was completely demolished, a hulking figure knocking aside the rubble as it made its way into the open.

The mummy was indeed "immense". It stood at least twelve feet tall. Much taller than any human could hope to be. Its entire body was covered in gauss, save for the eyes, which shown red between the bandages.

Marie made the first move, sending arrows flying as she aimed with her soul perception.

Some of the bolts stuck in the thick bandages while the rest seemed to just bounce off.

"The wrappings are too thick Marie! Move before he spots you!" Allison called to her friend, now drawing the creature's attention her way.

It was all the distraction Gabe and Daniel needed as they both went for the creature's legs. Daniel had switched out Hana for Fauna, swinging the great sword in a wide arc into the back of the knee joints, while Gabe, foot ablaze, jumped right in with his Djinni Wing move, trying to take out the whole leg.

Both boy's were stunned as the attacks were halted, making loud clanging noises.

"What hell this thing made of?" Fauna cursed as Daniel jumped back, shaking off the impact that numbed his hands.

The creature rushed forward quickly, trying to stampede over Gabe and Daniel.

"Soul Resonace"

"Ho-oh Hou!"

The blast exploded across mummy's chest, tearing at the gauss.

Daniel saluted Allison and Sakuya as he and Gabe ran to stand beside them.

"It doesn't move like a normal mummy." Allison realized, resheathing Sakuya as the group ran to meet up with Marie.

"Not only that, but... There's something not right about its soul." Marie added, readying another arrow. "Its soul looks human."

The group looked at her, shocked, except for Gabe who noticed a strange marking in the tear of the gauss.

He immediately turned back, his demonic arm ablaze. His team called after him to stop but he was already in the air aiming for the thing's face.

"Devil! Dynamite!" He called as his burning fist exploded against the creature's collosal form.

The creature stumbled back, thrashing as its gauss caught fire.

Gabe jumped back from the giant seeing, finally, what laid beneath the thick wrappings.

All the gauss on the creature's upper body had been burned away revealing the metallic gleam of steel skin, humanoid features and a skull like metal head with red eyes.

"It's a robot of some kind!" Sakuya stated the obvious.

The 12 foot tall machine lumbered forward, now aiming for Gabe who stood his ground as he noticed a familiar "M" logo on the thing's chest.

"It seems to be a product of Mori's." Gabe said, unimpressed as he stood between the robot and his comrades.

The psuedo-mummy seemed to be looking past him as its eyes started lighting up. The group realized too late as red beams blasted from the creatures eyes aiming straight for them.

Gabe only looked on in horror as the building his friends stood near exploded, sending rubble on top of them.

Robyn was the first to break loose. He pushed the rubble off of Marie as he checked the others.

Daniel was wounded but he was still strong enough to hold up a bleeding Fauna who's leg looked pretty bruised up, and swollen. Hana helped up Rosa as the group made their way over to Allison's position.

However, they only found an unconscious Sakuya.

A call from behind caught their attention as they spotted the robot.

It seemed to be hunched over something. It arm seemed to be straining to move.

As they got closer they saw the scene for what it was as they spotted Gabriel, his arms wrapped around the creature's forearm, holding it back. Allison laid behind him, weaponless and wounded.

The creature shook Gabe away as it righted itself and pulled back for another punch.

Gabe quickly covered Allison with his own body as the great fist came down upon his back.

He grimaced in pain at the impact as Allison looked on in fear.

"Gabriel. You have to turn into a weapon so I can fight." She said to him just as another punch came down.

"That would be irresponsible." He said through gritted teeth.

The robot continued the onslaught, pushing Gabriel further into the ground.

"Please Gabriel! You'll die if you don't!" she cried.

Gabe grimaced, more from fear than pain. Finally he took Allison's hand and brought his face to her ear.

"_Don't blame me."_

Sakuya, now conscious, looked in horror at her team's predicament.

Suddenly a familiar explosion sent the robot stumbling back, its hand now melted to a stub.

"Alright Gabe!" Robyn called as a figure jumped from the crater caused by the punches.

However it wasn't Gabriel who now stood in front of the robot.

Now equipped with Gabe's demonic arm and an unusual scowl, Allison rushed the fallen abomination, jumping onto its torso with her arms and legs now ablaze in familiar red flames.

"Ogre Hammer!" She called in a growling voice that wasn't her own. She slammed her blazing foot in an axe-kick, denting the thing's armor. She continued the onslaught, smashing her demonic fist into the metal.

The others looked on in astonishment at her strength and uncharacteristic ferociousness.

Finally she had made a small crack in the armor and began tearing at metal to get at something inside.

She then reached in a pulled out her prize, taking out the form of a small cowering human man wearing a pilot's uniform.

Marie realized the soul wavelength she saw came from him. He seemed to be pleading to the strange acting Allison.

"Please! Don't hurt me, I was doing my job, I have a family to- hac!" His pleads were ended as, to everyone's horror, Allison smashed her hand into his chest and wrung free his human soul.

She seemed to eye it hungrily and slowly brought it to her mouth.

The calls of her friends behind her were on depth ears, until a crying voice wrang out inside her head.

_Please stop! Gabriel stop!_

Gabriel looked down at his hands, now Allison's, and saw they were covered in blood. He dropped the soul and suddenly stumbled back. Away from the soul and out of Allison's body. He continued to back away in horror and shame.

"What the hell did you do to her?" Sakuya yelled, standing between Gabe and Allison, her blade drawn. The rest of the group followed her their weapons pointed at Gabe who just looked away.

"Stop. Don't blame-" Allison suddenly screamed, clutching her arm. The others crowded around her, checking her injuries.

The only thing that stood out was her arm. The sleeve of her shirt now burned away and the arm now burning with an angry red color.

Gabe stood back from it all, the shape of his soul showing his shame in Mariam's eyes.

He walked away only stopping to mumble:

"Now you know what I'm afraid of."

Whoo longest chapter yet. And I hope it's a good way to kick off Christmas break, cause I might not update again till after the holidays.

Till then:

The group has split up. With Gabe slowly going further into himself, can Thomas free him from his sorrow or will he not be in time to save Allison when she needs him most.


	7. Thomas the welldone father?

Don't pity a devil. Thomas the Well done father?

The Death Room, one week later

Only a week ago Shinigami had this same group of kids in his office, as he addressed them about a mission he mistakenly deemed simple. His heart ached at how hurt they were. Not just the physical pain; that was plain to see do to the heavy load of bandages covering bruises on each of them, not to mention the crutch held securely by miss Fauna, or the gauss wrapped around miss Rogers' burnt arm, he knew they must be mentally taxed as well due to what they witnessed. It was never easy cleaning up after Gabriel and always it's the people who try to socialize with him that get hurt for it. Still they would have to put up with his order for their report just a while longer.

Leon, as the temporary leader of this team, had already given him most of the report and Shinigami motioned for him to continue.

"Well, after discovering the true nature of our target to be an automoton, apparently manufactured by a criminal named T.R. Mori, myself as well as most of or team were… indisposed of. When we came to we found Ms. Rogers and Devil Buster to be fighting off the creature by themselves, and before we could offer any assistance is when the…er… incident occurred." Leon stated all the facts plainly, peeking concerned glances Allison and Sakuya's way as he spoke.

"Yes. Well, with all that aside, you each did splendid work and as long as each of you came back safely, we can be relieved." He tried to sound reassuring but he knew it would not go as easy as he predicted. "If you have nothing else to report I suggest you all return home to get some rest."

No one moved. They all seemed to have the same thought on their mind. It was finally Mariam who spoke up.

"Lord Death, we would all like to know what it was that happened back there with Gabriel." Everyone leaned forward for answers.

Shinigami the Kid sighed, though he was unsurprised. Many of Gabe's past partners always came straight to him, either demanding answers or even repercussion.

"Yes. I suppose you are entitled to that much. I suppose I should start with the beginning." He snapped his fingers summoning a group of monitors, each displaying scenes of the same individual: Gabriel.

"I'm sure you've noticed how… 'unique' Gabriel is in some small way. In fact many of us who lead the academy aren't exactly sure of a lot of things about him." Shinigami stated manner-of-factly, while shrugging.

"Gabriel didn't exactly enter Shibusen the same way most did. He was in fact, adopted by Shibusen from an orphanage after the nursemaid discerned he must have been the child of a Meister since he possessed the blazer of an academy operative, though no record matches were found of any relations. Though what was most odd about him was not his background but the abilities he already seemed to posses."

He motioned toward a screen off to the side which showed, to the awe and shock of the onlookers, what appeared to be a younger Gabriel bench-pressing a very large set of dumbbells.

"Since the age of twelve he seemed to show promise as a soldier. He possessed the athletic abilities equal to that of fit adult male when he was twelve, and he only grew stronger as he got older coupled with his incredible endurance and superhuman bone and muscle structure, he could only be described as 'herculean'."

Allison and her friends were stunned. They could tell, despite how much he preferred to layer up, that Gabriel was fit, but he still seemed to be built awfully scrawny so no one figured he was capable of something of this magnitude.

Shinigami continued with the explanation.

"It wasn't until he showed abilities as a weapon did things begin to become complicated." Another screen popped up showing a list of names the group didn't recognize.

"He was immediately coveted as a partner for many ambitious meisters, and whenever someone attempts to wield him or goes so far as trying to resonate with him, it all ends with similar or even more disastrous outcomes. Many of his partners have been hospitalized do to mental trauma and some have even had the bones in their bodies shattered due to the stress his rampages put them through."

"But how does he do it?" Fauna spoke up. "It seemed to me like he was controlling the lass," she referred to Allison.

"I wouldn't exactly call it control, though you're right, it does seem like some part of his consciousness was overwhelming her own. Are you all aware of a technique known as Soul Possession?"

Allison went wide eyed at this. "But that's a technique usually used by demon blades. Are you saying Gabriel's rampage could be caused by madness?"

"There's a good possibility, however his reactions afterword suggest he has no knowledge of his doing or that he has any control over it. It could be that he has yet to find a partner that is compatible with him; which explains the burns on your arm, but that may just be one cause of the problem. Look at this."

One last screen popped down showing the most shocking image of all.

At first glance it was a standard x-ray used by doctors to study soul abnormalities, but the soul on it was incredibly tiny, no larger than a golfball. Even the soul's features were abnormal as it depicted a blood red soul with two stubs of horns, an imp like tail and the same blue tattoos that appeared on Gabriel's arms. And what was most confusing was the strange red static that seemed to shoot off the soul when it showed an image of Gabe using his fire conjuring abilities.

"As you can see, our friend the Devil Buster is far more unique than even we can fathom. Despite the small size of his soul he seems to be in possession of a peculiar but also incredibly powerful wavelength. We don't even know what to make of it. I know you all may have more questions and I wish I had answers but for now, Death Scythe would please show these students out?" Shinigami said just as Soul entered the room. He ushered them all to the door an closed it to address his boss,

"I just sent Tommy out to find Gabe, it might not look good for him to miss his own trial." He said glumly. He was referring to the trial that was being held to deal out Gabriel's punishment for killing a human and nearly devouring his soul. This was not his first and this time he had a record high of those more than willing to kick him out of Shibusen.

Kid rubbed his temples. "I can hardly blame him. I had such expectations of this group, I thought perhaps they could change him and finally make him feel welcome."

Soul nodded understanding.

Suddenly inspiration seemed to hit him. "Wait! We might still have a chance to make this work!" He said excitedly. Kid looked at him questioningly.

"Send Rogers and Muramasa out on a remedial lesson after Tommy find's Gabe, I know just the guy with the positive energy to make this work!"

"What a mess." Thomas said to him self as he came upon the roped off area.

Police and medivacs were loading wounded thugs into ambulances, while others were busy keeping the throng of curious onlookers at bay.

Thomas crossed the roped line and showed his badge to a nearby officer. "Inspector Thomas Gunn, Shibusen investigator. What happened here?" He asked though he could warrant a guess.

"We believe the group of thugs were attempting to mug the perpetrator not realizing he was Shibusen. As you can see from the result that was a grave error."

The cop showed Thomas over to a nearby bench where Gabriel sat, hands cuffed and his head low.

"You can take those cuffs off him, he's seems to have blown off some steam." Thomas clarified.

The cop complied but also asked. "Are you the boy's father?"

"I'm just as good as." Thomas stated. The cop seemed to accept this and walked off.

Thomas sighed as he sat down next to Gabe his arms crossed. He thought about what to say though he had his orders, then, an idea popped into his head.

"Not easy being dumped huh?" He said thoughtfully. "I can't even count the times Hisako's turned me down. But you know, 'well done' men, like you and me, don't know when to quit. And they certainly don't give up like a couple of 'medium-rares'," he said using his bizarre way of describing manliness.

Gabe was silent at first but then he looked up at Thomas, regret and shame heavy in his eyes.

"If this is your way of telling me to go back and make things right with Rogers and Muramasa, you're going to be disappointed. Even if they're not the type to hate me after what I did, I know I'll just hurt them all over again. Then I'm sure they'll hate me."

Thomas leaned back after hearing this. His expression showed he was conflicted.

"You know," he finally continued. "I was actually sent out here to convince you to make up with those girls and once you did Soul was going to set something up that would put you in the position to try to resonate with that girl again. I probably wasn't supposed to tell you though." Thomas didn't look ashamed.

Gabe raised an eyebrow as he stared at him. "Why are you telling me this instead of following your orders?"

"Because despite what I said I'm not your old man, I'm your friend. And friends are always straight with each other."

Gabe seemed angry now.

"Well tell Shinigami not to bother. I'm done hurting people by trying to become accepted. I'm resigning tomorrow." He stalked away fuming. Thomas however seemed to be grinning.

"Try coming by the Death Room later after class." Thomas called after him, and left, not waiting for a reply.

Happy Newyear everybody. I got a lot of updates and I'm not afraid to use em'.

So let's keep it rolling!


	8. The tugging of Allison's heartstings?

How's it going? So last update I spent too much time on explanations and didn't leave much room for the action scenes, so I decided to make this a two-parter.

And… Action!

Don't pity a devil (part 2), The tugging of Allison's heartstrings?

Allison gripped Sakuya tightly as she stalked the tile covered rooftops.

Despite still being in recovery from the last mission Shinigami, in all his wisdom, had decided to send Sakuya and Alisson on a hunt for an illusive demon that's already given the slip on even the most experienced meisters. Their prey had apparently been plaguing Japan for years and now he was finally cornered here in Osaka.

As Allison gripped tighter on her katana a dull ache shot up her previously burnt hand. Instead of causing pain it brought on a feeling of guilt.

Gabriel had warned her not to wield him. She put him in a position where he had to, despite how much pain it had caused him in the past.

She realized back in Lord Death's office that she knew absolutely nothing about Gabriel and she still had the gall to say she was his friend. She wanted to know more about Gabriel, but Leon's knowledge of him only went so far back as to the incident where he knocked out a Death Scythe named Nagi and became known as the Devil of Shibusen. Still she needed to know more and decided to confront those who had been here as long as Gabriel had.

Flash back to yesterday:

She came upon the two girls who may have had the information she needed.

Lavender, a Chinese girl who was around Allison's age with her haired pulled up in buns on the sides of her head with long, pigtail hair extensions trailing down from them. She wore a uniform like Allison, however the design was much different. She wore a white button-up shirt under a large, dark purple blazer and a plaid skirt with it.

Her partner, Mint, was who Allison was really looking for. Mint was Tibetan in ancestry and she had dark hair that she always cut short. She wore an outfit similar to Lavender only with the exception that her blazer was black like Gabriel's.

"Alley!" she cried with affection, smothering Allison with the hugs she was famous for giving to her younger classmates, if she deemed them cute enoughh. Otherwise Mint was known to be a serious if not slightly passive senior to the rest of her classmates.

After extracting herself from the vice grips that were Mint's arms, Allison attempted to explain her reasoning for coming to see them. When she began talking about Gabriel, Mint's mood darkened.

"I was hoping you could tell me anything that Shinigami-sama hadn't told me and my friends, before he was called the Devil Buster," Allison offered politely.

Mint debated for a bit and finally sighed.

"You're really cute Alley but I've seen your type once too often for my liking." She said to the astonishment of her partner and Allison.

"You seem to be one of those motherly types who find an abandoned nest of birds, hatch the eggs, and realize you have no idea how to care for them. You only thought of your pity for them not understanding that there was nothing you could do for them, so they suffer. Only now it's your pity that hangs over them."

Allison seemed ready to defend herself when Mint cut her off.

"A devil isn't something that wants pity because someone may think he's lonely. Sometimes it's best to just leave a Devil alone." She didn't say any more after that and turned to walk off.

"Sorry about that." Lavender apologized quickly, bowed and then ran after her partner.

So here she was standing on the rooftops of Osaka with more questions than answers, but those would have to be put aside for now. She still had a promise to keep to Sakuya and their prey just made his appearance.

His top half appeared to be human except for his red face and large nose. He seemed to be wrapped in the robes of a monk and wore a large set of ceremonial beads around his neck. His more striking features were the pair of wings that held him aloft as he danced through the air and the bird like talons that were his feet. He also held in his hands a large club-like weapon.

Suddenly he stopped, hovering in midair.

"I know you're there child. Come out where I can see you." He ordered looking in Allison's direction.

She knew there was no point in hiding so she stepped out, unsheathing Sakuya and brandishing her in his direction.

"Tengu Ogi-san (oldman tengu)…" she started.

"You are on Shinigami's list and we are here to-" He cut her off with the wave of his hand.

"I know why you are here, child. But I can also read souls like you Shibusen people. I can tell by the melancholy in your heart, you wish to be somewhere else." He regarded her thoughtfully. "So why are you not there?"

"That's awfully kind of you. Trying to give advise to those who are trying to kill you?" Sakuya said from her reflection in her blade.

"It is the duty of old men to pass his wisdom on to the younger generations." Tengu stated matter-of-factly.

Allison didn't need to think hard on where she wanted to be. She wanted to find Gabe and apologize to him, and truly try to become his friend. But she also needed to be here fighting along side Sakuya.

She would have to put her personal problems aside for later.

"I see. So you can change the state of your soul so easily. You have a strong will." Tengu raised his chin. "Very well. I have no qualms of being struck down by someone with your fire. I will neither run nor hide," he added, hefting his weapon forward. Allison could now see that it looked like a large clay pipe and that it was growing even larger.

He raised his pipe in salute. "To arms, gallant youths!" He cried, swinging his club down to flatten Allison.

Allison refused to run as well. She braised herself against the rooftop and put up Sakuya horizontally over her head blocking the huge weapon, despite her limbs' protest.

A/N Hit the Music!: Black Paper Moon

I'm falling

Down into my shadow

Holding my breath

And awaiting DEADLY NIGHT

Tengu lifted the great weapon once again, now swinging it in a horizontal fashion. Allison however jumped up last minute, grabbing on to the pipe for dear life as she rode it for the entirety of its arc.

Don't be scared

Of the witch drawn pumpkin carriage

Because it can show in your eyes.

Righting herself, she rushed forward atop the pipe with her sword raised.

Tengu sneered at her head-on approach and began to chant. Suddenly fire balls blasted forth from his mouth aimed directly at Allison.

The blast knocked her back against another building. She screamed out at the pain.

Tengu chuckled above her. "Is that truly your best?" He chided them, readying for another swing.

See you in you dreams

Yeah baby

Even if there nightmares

Allison propped herself up using Sakuya.

"We've only got one move that can work on someone like him." Allison stated, running her uninjured hand across Sakuya's blade to Tengu and Sakuya's astonishment. The blood from her hand seemed to be being absorbed by the blade and turning a viscious red color. Allison resheathed Sakuya and began to attempt resonace.

Fairy blue

For you I'll smash the stars

And hang up a

Black paper moon

"Are you sure you can handle this?" Sakuya asked as the white energy orb began to rise and crackle around them.

"My partner is a Muramasa Blade. Besides, this is nothing compared to that." She said, referring to the other day. Finally she released Sakuya from her sheathe. Now the blade glowed an angry red and the blade had changed as well, now ending in a claw-like hook.

"Gurren Gari!" (Crimson Hunter)

Tengu was awestruck as he stared down at the sight before him.

'One of the legendary God-slaying blades.' He thought to himself. 'This girl is indeed impressive.'

He hefted his club one last time to quell any thought of victory, but Allison was already heading straight for Tengu, her blade pointed backwards beside her.

If you believe in me

When you're lost "here" I am

"forever" with your soul

I'll be there just like the moon.

In an instant it was over. Tengu dropped his useless club, half of it already sliced away. Allison had her blade pointed at his throat, just within in his guard,

"Finish it." He said.

"Emmm-" Allison agreed pulling back for one last swing.

Just then Tengu's eyes widened and he fell forward, a wicked looking black blade attached to a chain sticking out of his back. His body was pulled backwards toward the interloper.

He was a tall man with silver hair and a cowl pulled over his mouth to his face. He wore a strange type of ninja garb. He extracted the soul from the dead Tengu and asorbed it into his blade.

Allison pointed her blade at the intruder, demanding his name.

He sneered at her and rushed forward with his open palm. Allison just pulled Sakuya up in time to block when a strange static shot out from his hands, electrocuting both the girls. Allison was sent flying back and Sakuya was knocked unconscious out of her weapon form.

"You little girls weren't half bad out there," he conceded, mockingly.

"But now the it's time for the true big star to take the spotlight. And that's me. White Star." He then threw Sakuya over his shoulder and began to walk off.

"If you want your friend back in one piece, meet me on Osaka castle at this time tomorrow. And I suggest you bring a new weapon." He then disappeared in a blink of an eye, taking Sakuya with him.

Allison was in pain, gripping her sides as tears welled up in her eyes. She had lost both of her partners all because she was so weak, she thought to herself. She gripped her burnt arm as the tears finally escaped.

"I need you." She hiccupped. "I really need you right now. Gabriel."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Well that's that." Shinigami sighed turning off the screen.

"Some brilliant plan Death Scythe," Robyn rudely announced as he and the rest of Allison's friends, minus Gabe, sent outraged looks at Soul.

"Hey, the plan was brilliant to simplicity. If only Thomas had pulled through on his end." Soul replied.

Marie then shot up her hand. "Lord Death, if I may ask. Isn't the Assassin White Star supposedly dead?"

"He is." Hisako spoke up. "That was a Shibusen agent posing as him, though his acting on the part seems to be lacking," she grumbled.

"If only Gabriel had been there, he may have at least been able to save Muramasa before he got away." Leon stated.

"It can't be helped. Gabriel isn't the go-to the rescue of damsels type. Even if he knew the situation, he would probably do nothing," Soul said glumly. His words seemed to sink in to all until Thomas walked in, holding a crumpled slip of paper.

"Hey, why so glum all? The plan's going perfectly," he announced cheerfully. Everyone's heads shot up at once.

"What do you mean?" Hisako ventured, taking the slip from Thomas. It appeared to be a resignation slip, and though it was hard to read she noticed a familiar signature on it.

"It seems he overheard what was happening since I saw him heading toward the Death rails. Not to mention what I found outside your office, Lord Death." Thomas said pointing back toward the door.

Everyone scrambled over to see. Lord Death gave a great cry and fell back unconscious at the sight. The hall was basically fried. Scorch marks that looked like foot prints ran up the length of the hall and all the paintings and candles had melted into puddles on the floor.

As the group tried to rouse the fainted Shinigami, Hisako walked over to Thomas and kissed him on the cheek.

"You helped him to find his way, didn't you?" She asked. Thomas chuckled.

"Nope. I just told him where to be at the right time. Our boy's making his own way. And it looks like 'White Star' is going to get run over."

THE DEVIL IS LOOSE! Haha Gabe's finally coming out of his shell and White Star's gonna get a beat down for it.

For those who are wondering about Muramasa Blades. It is said in Japan around the time of the Sengoku Era, Muramasa blades were a forbidden but coveted brand said to be able to feed off the blood of their victims or owners alike. Some were even said to be able to kill gods.

For the record, Sakuya isn't a vampire her blade is just vampiric.

I do not own Soul Eater nor its characters.


	9. The explosion of the soul

And so, the final battle of the expositionary arc begins. "White Star" vs. Gabe, Sakuya, and Allison. Will the infamous assassin have them at his mercy or will a never before seen power grant them victory. Also when you see these: it signifies that their speaking in another language.

And. Action!

Don't pity a devil (part 3)

The explosion of the soul?

He ran full out after he exited the death rail. He ran and he ran, ignoring the rain, ignoring the stares, even ignoring the mud until…

_Slip!_

His face hit the mud as he tripped from the soaked earth. His adrenaline lost from this one mishap and the old feelings slowly crept their way back into his mind and the memories played back in his head.

"_You bastard! What the hell did you do to me?"_

"_I trusted you and now I can't even use my legs!"_

"_An animal like you should go rot in a cage!"_

His former partners never forgave him. Never wanted to even speak of his existence again. He never cared before. So why now was he rushing to save a girl he hadn't even known half as long as the others?

Her words suddenly echoed in his head.

"_I need you. I really need you right now. Gabriel."_

Why just because of that was he doing this?

"Oni-chan, is it okay to sleep in the mud?" A small voice asked him.

Gabriel raised his mud covered face to see a small girl in a rain coat and holding an umbrella, looking back down at him. Her eyes slid down to his uncovered red hand. She crouched down and to his astonishment, picked it up and kissed it on the top of his knuckle. He quickly picked himself out of the mud and snatched his hand away, eyeing the girl suspiciously.

She only smiled at him and said, "It's first aid." as if it were the simplest thing in the world. He cocked his eyebrow at her. "Mommy did this when I hurt my knee and made it feel all better. You looked upset and your arm seems strange so I wanted to make you feel better too."

He stared down at the arm that caused him so much trouble, that labeled him as "strange", he sighed and pulled his glove back on to cover it. "I have a lot more concerns than just a strange arm," he said, trying to work the mud off his clothes.

"I'm wandering around a city I have no knowledge of, for a girl I just barely know. And all of this is because I'm a fool to believe anyone could possibly need me."

The little girl looked up at him questioningly. "But isn't that enough?" She prodded. He gave her another confused look. "When mommy came to help me she said this: Don't worry. As long as you need me I will be there to protect you. And then I stopped crying." The little girl beamed up at him. Suddenly a call from an older woman caught both of their attention as she ran over to the young girl.

"Nojiko, you know better than to play in the rain. I'm sorry young man, I hope she didn't bother you," the girl named Nojiko's mother apologized.

Gabriel shook his head and lifted the young girl into her mother's arms.

"Thank you, Nojiko-chan," he said, a very rare smile spreading across his face. "Sayonara." He ran off again after that, something other than adrenaline filling his body. He couldn't identify what it was that caused this unusual feeling to enter his so small soul, but he enjoyed it all the same.

(Hit the music: Supernova)

_These overflowing emotions_

_Are bursting through this body_

_Time starts to melt into the NEXT STAGE_

He finally came upon Osaka castle, and he was vaguely aware of a struggle coming from the top. He knew he didn't have time to lose so he scaled the wall using the stronger than human muscles in his legs to jump from floor to floor as he came upon the scene taking place on the roof.

_It's never enough_

_It's like I hide behind my excuses and loneliness_

_The world crumbling in your hand_

_Where do these feelings belong_

Allison looked to be standing her ground, though she appeared to be out matched by her more ferocious opponent. She was panting and bleeding from her hand as she gripped a very old looking katana. Her opponent, however, seemed bored as he back handed her lunging attack away with his deadly looking pair of black blades connected together by chains.

"If this is your idea of a fight, it seems I have overestimated your abilities. This old weapon of yours doesn't even look very impressive. He's not even sharp." The assassin sighed, disappointed. "I suppose it's high-time I end this."

Did Allison hear right? Did White star just say "He"? He knew about Gabriel. This could be a trap.

Tendrils of darkness converged around his weapon and began reshaping into a black, four leafed shaped shuriken, now rested in his grasp.

"The second kata: Tsukiyoha." He said winding his arm back and aiming straight at Allison. She started to collapse suddenly, all the fight drained out of her. Gabe decided it was time to make his move.

_I can't restrain this hot flame_

_It burns away my doubt._

_It helps me forget everything._

_NO ONE EVER KNOWS my sound_

_I continue to evolve_

_My hidden self is awakening a_

_SUPERNOVA_

Gabe pulled his own arm back, gripping it with his other as he concentrated his energy into his demonic arm.

"Diablos Spada!" He swung his arm in a vertical arc, sending a line of hot air speeding across the rooftop. Whitestar jumped back, his attack canceled as he finally noticed the intruder.

Gabe rushed to Allison, catching her just before she pitched forward to the ground.

She looked up at her savior, the concern heavy in his eyes. Gabe didn't know if that was rain or tears welling in her eyes.

"Gabriel. I'm so-"He shushed her, taking his jacket off and slipping it on over her to guard her from the rain. "I'll be here after you get back. For now go find Muramasa." She looked doubtful at first.

"Promise?" she asked. His answer was a nod and a grin she'd never seen before. Partly satisfied, she made her way back inside the castle. Gabriel then turned his attention back towards his adversary, placing his hand on top of his demonic one, a red light glowing in its core.

"I know it's you Blackstar and Tsubaki." He said, glaring at his surprised opponent.

The man now revealed to be Blackstar pulled his cowl off, shrugging.

"I congratulate you for recognizing my magnificent countenance, even under this genius disguise. I heard you were partners with that girl, Devil Buster, but wasn't sure when she showed up with that butter knife. I guess the fights off then?" He began to lower his weapon. Gabe stopped him by swinging hand out forward, creating a glowing red blade that connected to his wrist.

"Burning Blade: Longinus!"

_By moving forward, I lose my fears_

_Although I still feel regret_

_My wish is to protect those important to me_

_The moment I realize this everything begins to change_

_Look! Fate is speeding up!_

He leveled the blade at Blackstar, anger flaring in his eyes.

"You hurt my meister and comrade. I won't show mercy to even you, Blackstar," he declared.

Blackstar grinned and summoned new black tendrils to his shuriken and caused it to shrink till it was now a black kunai that he began twirling around his finger.

"The third kata: Zetsuei. Speed star!" Using his super speed ability he began a mad rush for Gabe, Zetsuei poised for attack.

_Maximize the power,_

_And create a miracle_

_It won't stop the reborn me_

_NO ONE EVER KNOWS my force_

_It sounds throughout the world_

_I start running to a new era _

_SUPERNOVA_

Gabe knew Blackstar's usual strategy. He began a feint for backwards slash as Blackstar had begun his own feint to attack him from behind. Gabriel swung out with Longinus just as Blackstar made his true attack from the front. The energy blade cut through the approaching assassin, only to dissolve the shadowy copy.

"A dummy star?" Gabriel realized, readying his guard, not knowing where the true attack would come from.

"I'm right here!" Blackstar suddenly popped up to his left. "No here!" Another Blackstar to his right?

"Here! Here!" A new group of dummy stars had popped up around Gabe. He knew only one was Blackstar, the trick was however to make him show his face, without wasting his energy.

"Ogre hammer!" His foot flared up as he smashed it against the ground in an axe kick, sending out a firey shockwave.

_Over flowing feelings_

_Are bursting through this body_

_THERE'S NO NEED TO ESCAPE_

_Suddenly I've become like a little star_

_Born to a great destiny!_

The dummy stars were dispersed but still with no Blackstar.

"Soul Menace!" Gabe realized too late that Blackstar had just gotten right up close to him, his palm slamming into Gabe's stomach, sending arcs of electricity through his body and blasting him off the roof.

"We're not done yet!" Blackstar followed Gabe off the roof and divebombed him, his elbow and fist readied.

"BLACK STAR BIG WAVE!" The more powerful soul menace attack sent them both plummeting to the ground. Gabriel's breathe was completely knocked out of him.

Allison, having just freed Sakuya, now witnessed the scene taking place in the castle courtyard. Blackstar stood over the downed Gabriel, his face a sneer.

"You ready to surrender to the might of the true god?" He then noticed Allison and Sakuya running towards them. "And so the bugs begin to swarm."

"You help him, I'll hold off Whitestar as long as I can." Sakuya said, drawing out her blade and making a lunge for Blackstar, which he held easily at bay using Zetsuei.

"Gabriel! Can you hear me Gabriel?" She tried to shake him back to consciousness but his eyes wouldn't open. "You've been fighting so hard. All for me and Sakuya-chan. Why did you do that? How can you us forgive so easily?" Tears started welling up in her eyes again.

"Forgive you?" Her eyes shot open when Gabriel began to stir.

"You almost devoured a Human Soul because I'm impossible to resonate with and you want to be forgiven." He dusted off his red sweat shirt, not in any apparent pain.

"What happened was my fault. It was always my fault. I shouldn't expect you to forgive me. So I won't ask you to, but-" Her crying again cut him off. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"That's not fair. I want to forgive you so bad it hurts, but how can I if you won't even say you're sorry first." Her tears began to come down harder. "I don't want to break it off with you Gabriel. I want to stay your friend. And friends always forgive each other." He was stunned by this answer and the compassion in her eyes. Before he knew what he was doing he embraced her. "I'm sorry!"

Sakuya suddenly became aware of a red light that surrounded the area and her distraction was all Blackstar needed to shove her away and pull back his hand for another soul menace. His hand was suddenly stopped by a familiar red arm.

Allison stood there, wrapped in Gabe's blazer, with a familiar red glow in her eyes.

Sakuya backed away suddenly, expecting disaster.

"Muramasa..." the red eyed Allison spoke in a familiar manner. "Let's go."

She held out her hand to her, a reassuring smile displayed across her face. Sakuya was wary at first but accepted the hand and retook her weapon form. When she did she was vaguely aware of incredible energy filling her body. Her blade glowed bright red and now appeared as the Crimson Hunter once more.

Black Star grinned at them expectantly. "Seems like you've finally performed a perfect Soul Resonance." He clarified but the Gabriel possessed Allison shook her head as a great red orb of energy enveloped her.

"This is a different power than Soul resonance. I can feel every cell in this body exploding with energy. So that's what we'll call it: Tomashii No Bakugan! ( Explosion of the soul).

_I can't restrain this hot flame_

_It burns away my doubt_

_It helps me forget everything_

_NO ONE EVER KNOWS my sound_

_I continue to evolve_

_My hidden self is awakening…_

_SUPERNOVA_

Blackstar chuckled to himself. 'Soul won't be disappointed,' he thought to himself. He then readied his kunai as dark tendrils began to envelop him again.

Gabe countered by focusing his energy into Sakuya's blade, causing a pillar of fire to rise up from her hilt and continued to climb higher.

Both of them achieved their ultimate weapons.

"Kata Zero: Masamune." A new black katana rested in Blackstar's hands now with an inky black scarf covering his neck and swaying here and there.

"The second burning blade: Leviathan!" The pillar of flames began to twist and form. Now a gigantic flaming serpent towered over Allison as she brought Sakuya to her face horizontally, glaring at Blackstar.

"Aquired art: Infinity."

"Chou Ryu Hadou! (super dragon wave)"

_In the thickest darkness_

_A new light shall be born!_

Black starrushed forward, dozens of shadowy blades forming around him. Allison swung out, sending the serpent flying out towards Blackstar. As the two finishers clashed it was Black star who came out on top as his black swords cut through the flames. But now Allison had disappeared as well.

"Devil! Dynamite!" Black star turned, just as the blazing fist raced toward him.

But it only stopped and tapped his nose. "My point." Gabriel clarified, cancelling the resonance as he and Sakuya took human form.

"Did we pass Blackstar-senpai?" Allison asked, innocently.

As it was, when Gabe and Allison resonated they also shared a single mind and by doing so Gabriel revealed that this was all a test set up by Soul Eater and Lord Shinigami.

"We're very sorry." Blackstar's weapon partner, a pretty woman named Tsubaki, apologized.

Allison suddenly pitched forward only for Gabriel to catch her again.

"I'm sorry, I can't seem to work my legs." She said blushing.

Gabe sighed as he hoisted her onto his back piggy back style. "We'll send your regards back to Death Scythe." He clarified as he walked away, Sakuya hot on his trail, making sure he wasn't touching anywhere inappropriate.

Whoo! What a long chapter. Hope you all liked it!

For info's sake, the translation of Supernova was a self tweaked version of another groups fan sub, if you want to see a better translation watch the pv somewhere.

I'll update again as soon as possible. Until then, I'm beat.


	10. The angels name

And so ends the expisitionary arc. I did not plan for it to be this long, this was mostly due to my splitting certain chapters into two-parters. I hope to make this one short but believe me it is important. And so let it continue.

The angel's name. The devil's vow?

"_Allison do you know the story of the angel on your hair clip?"_

_Allison had shook her head when her mother asked her that. As a child she was more fascinated by how pretty the angel looked, triumphantly pointing his sword skyward and his wing's spead wide._

"_Well" her mother began. "This particular angel has been our families guardian for generations, and what's most unique about him is that he is a fallen angel."_

"_Fallen?" Allison inquired.  
>"It means he was forced to leave heaven and never return."<em>

_Allison gasped when she heard this. "Did he do something wrong?"_

"_To the other angel's he did. You see the sword in his hand?"_

_Allison nodded._

"_He was part of a special class of warrior angels who would sometimes come down to Earth to slay demons. He however, often took the journey alone and many times without permission and he slew so many demons, open war was declared between the angels and devils." Her mother explained, rather grimly._

_**WE ARE TEN MINUTES TO DEATH CITY.**_

Allison suddenly woke from the call of the conductor, her dreams still vivid in her mind.

"Why did I dream that?" She asked herself.

"Something wrong?" a voice across from her asked.

She finally remembered where they were. They were in the death rail, making their way back to Death city after finally retrieving their first soul of the year, which Black Star and Tsubaki were kind of enough to return to them.

Gabriel sat in the seat opposite her's, with Sakuya sleeping in the one next to her's. Allison slowly moved as to not disturb Sakuya, as she made her way so she could sit next to Gabriel.

He asked her again if something was bothering her, which she just denied smiling as usual.

Gabe was silent for a moment.

"Mint's right. You are to nice for your own good." He said shrugging.

Allison looked at him shocked at how he could know that information, then realization set in. If she was able to see into his memories so she could understand Death Scythe and Shinigami-sama's plan, then he could just as easily looked into hers.

She stared at him wide eyed and embarrassed.

"Guess we'll have to learn to respect each others privacy if we ever try that again." He confirmed.

Allison looked down at her feet hiding her face. "I'm sorry." She said.

"For what?"

"For making it seem like I was just taking pity on you because I thought you were lonely." She explained.

Gabriel sighed. "If that's all, then there's nothing wrong." He stated.

She looked back up at him questioning.

"I'm sure you know the reason now right. Why people always avoid me. Well the few who didn't, I mean my old meisters, only saw me as their ticket to the top. Even if there was a degree of trust that was between me and them, not one of them actually tried to understand me the way you try. Which is why-."

He was cut off suddenly by the train coming to a stop. The screeching of the brakes waking Sakuya.

"Are we back?" she asked.

"Looks like it." Allison clarified getting up, and heading for the doors.

The doors opened to a familiar figure blocking the way.

"Nice to have you guy's back." Wu said smiling.

Gabriel rushed to face him. "So the council couldn't find any one better to lead me to court, so they decided to make you their honorary lap dog." Gabe guessed, bringing his guard up.

Wu simply continued grinning and took Gabe by the shoulder leading him and the girls out. "That's a pretty cold thing to say to the guy who might have just saved your ass from being thrown in jail." Wu said proudly.

Allison had completely forgotten that Gabriel was to be put on trial for killing a human and almost eating his soul. She wondered what Wu Tian had in mind.

He lead them all the way outside the death rail station to reveal a small crowd of people, among them Wu's partner Sora ( now dressed as Hinata fron Naruto Shippuden), Lavender, Mint and the rest of their friends.

"What is this?" Gabe asked as he took in the faces that seemed to be beaming at him.

"Well you see, when I heard that you might not be getting off this time with a slap on the wrist, Sora and I started trying to get as much support from the rest of the students as possible. And when we all heard that you went to rescue your partners from The" BlackStar" you can only imagine how much your appeal shot up." Wu explained slapping Gabe on the back.

"And you did this all from the goodness of your heart?" Gabe asked.

"Hell no! You still owe me a rematch for taking that dive. I won't let you leave this academy again until I wipe the floor with- hey!" Wu exclaimed as Fauna pushed him aside.

"The Jet Li wannabe's selfish reasons aside you really impressed all of us out their."

"Indeed and I believe our heroic prince is owed something from his princess." Rosa said winking at Allison. Both she and Gabriel looked at each other confused.

"Oh c'mon you two. Look Allison-chan is even wearing Gabriel-kun's Jacket. Total couple." Sora cooed happily.

Realization, once again, hit Allison's face and she began to shake her one good arm hastily. "Wait guys! It's- it's nothing like that." Sakuya seemed to be helping her, threatening the next person who even suggested at this again.

Gabriel just stared off, amazed at the groups complete lack of respect for private affairs. Then his eyes looked down at Allison's gauss bound arm, remembering what he had done to cause her that pain. A sudden impulse overtook him.

He gently grabbed Allison's hand to everyone's shock and bent down, brushing the top of her knuckle with his lips. He stared up at her shocked expression and said: "I know how much it must of pained you to try and wield me, unprepared for what might happen. I want to make it up to you. So I swear that I will always protect you as long as you need me." His words brought a bright red flush to Allison's face, a squeal to all the girls and a caused Wu, Robyn and Daniel to cover their faces with their hands, disturbed by his attempt at smoothness.

However, one other person wasn't exactly impressed by his " Smooth talking" as he noticed a cold killing intent coming from behind him.

"I warned you, not to try anything! MURAMASA CHOP. MURAMASA CHOP. MURAMASA CHOP. (rubber band of doom, nyuk nyuk). MURAMASA CHOP!"

Sakuya left the mostly unconscious Gabriel to attend to her flustered friend, who sunk down to her knees again, more from exasperation than exhaustion.

Still a smile, hidden from view from all the others, crept to her face as she remembered the rest of her dream.

_Allison look scared of the angel she once amired now knowing he started a war._

_But her mother only smiled and asked her: "Do you know why he was always so eager to slay demons?"_

_Allison shook her head not understanding._

"_Well that's what God wanted to know to so he asked our angel why he was commited to do this despite how much trouble he would get in and all he did was look down at the Earth and he said: "Because down there I was born. Down there are the descendants of my family and friends. Down there are things I wish to defend with all my soul which you hath granted me lord. And my soul cries out to me to protect them!" and so he took up his sword one last time and flew straight down to Earth to forever continue his battle." _

_Her mother beamed as she finished her story and gently pulled back Allison's hair in a long pony-tail and used the hair clip to hold it together._

"_Now Allison can you answer me this: what was the angel's name?"_

_XXXXXX_

_A scaly red hand now held out the gold clip to her. "This one looked better." The hand's owner said._

Allison came out of her memories grinning widely.

'I know his name now mom' she thought to herself.

'His name is Gabriel'.

(Begins to pull out hair) Ahg. When did this turn into such a freaking mushy fic.

Hope you all liked the biblical reference. Gabe is not the left hand of God Gabriel from the old testament just so you know. I was just going through names of a male lead one day and the story just suddenly started righting itself.

Preview: The group celebrates Gabe's verdict of innocence, but what happens when they meet someone Wu's actually afraid of.


	11. Wrath of God's hammer

Time to start off the new arc with a bang. Warning mature suggestive themes and alcohol reference later on.

The wrath of God's Hammer. " I will uphold my vow!"

The Death Room

Gabriel stood before Lord Death, his arms crossed behind him and his head held high. Only Shinigami knew what the verdict was for his trial and Gabriel did not intend to show worry. He trusted Wu and he knew he wouldn't let him down.

"Sit." Lord Shinigami ordered. Gabe complied.

"You have been a monumental pain to have as a student, Devil Buster." The reaper started rubbing his temples. "To the point where I've started to break out in unsymmetrical worry lines." He added grimacing as he looked at himself in the mirror.

"It was only leniency, and the fact that you had incredible potential, that you were able to stay this long. Even my father, the previous Grim Reaper, gave only so many second chances, and you have had you're fair share. And how you were able to garner so much appeal from so many students so quick is beyond me." Gabe couldn't help but give Wu and the others a small internal 'thank you'.

Lord death cleared his throat, "it is with much reservation that I grant you pardon from your previous crime.

Gabriel let out a sigh of relief in spite of himself.

"However-" Lord shinigami began, getting Gabe's attention. "Article 3 of your contract to stay with us will be given tighter enforcement than ever. Do you understand?" He said seriously.

Gabe pulled down the sleeve of his red shirt to reveal the black band, with a white, comical skull on it, wrapped around his left wrist. It stood as a constant reminder of the limits enforced on him.

"Understood." Gabriel replied in his usual cold manner.

Lord shinigami dismissed him then, expecting him to stalk out as he always did. This time, however he was aware of the sound of something being placed on his desk. He looked up from his work just as Gabriel exited the room. He noticed a thin rectangular parcel, and began to remove the wrapping paper. His eyes widened as he revealed it's contents.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Allison had just spotted Gabriel coming down the steps of the academy, when a loud shriek of joy could be heard coming from the school.

Robyn chuckled. "Looks like that pain in the ass to get gift worked out after all." He refered to the picture of a completely symmetrical skyline which the group had spent an entire morning and afternoon trying to get a picture of to give as a thank you gift to Lord Death.

"So what's the verdict." Sakuya asked.

Gabe gave a calm thumbs up to answer her question. He then busied himself with wrapping his dark blazer around his waist, since it was such a hot day.

"That's it." Robyn said imitating his thumbs up with a goofy face. "Come on man where's the jail break rush. Can't you at least give us something with a little more spontaneousness, how about saying something like: "I'm out bitches!" or something."

His comment was met by twin blades smacking him on top of the head.

"How's that for spontaneous?" Both Sakuya and Hana asked together.

Daniel chuckled at the scene. "Still he has a point. This calls for a celebration of some sort. Perhaps a party or a dinner date." He said taking the hands of a bushing Allison and Mariam. His antics were met by Fauna clubbing him in the back of the head and Rosa kneeing him in the shin.

Gabriel having heard all of this seemed to be in thought. "Well I do know one place that sells exemplary coffee." He had the groups attention now. Though he added last minute, " You guys don't mind cats do you?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What are you all waiting outside for?" Gabriel called half entering the eccentricly designed, pink shop the group knew as Cabacuras.

"Uh. You do know what kind of place this is right?" Allison asked worriedly.

"Not really." He said honestly. The group stared at him open mouthed. "I just heard that this place sold great coffee, and I've been coming here ever since. I figured it was a coffee sho-" He was cut off as a purpled haired woman, in a skimpy out fit tugged him inside for a choking embrace.

"Gabree!" the woman purred. "Where have you been hiding from me?"

"Blair you're choking me!" He said muffled in the woman's cleavage.

"Oh man. I am so jealous." Robyn's comment rewarded him with another smack on the head. Marie noticed that a twinge of jealousy was also prominent in someone else's soul as Allison stalked in to take her seat next to a panting Gabriel.

"Master. An order of my regular for my friends. On me." Gabriel said to the man behind the counter, who's name tag labled him as Bob.

"For the last time Gabe. I'm not a master and this isn't a Coffe shop." Bob said back but began passing out the orders anyway. Gabe was already sucking down his order a disturbingly content sigh escaping from him.

Fauna eyed the drink warily. "This crap isn't spiked is it?"

"Its delicious is all I know." Robyn said, a similar state of calm coming over him.

The group each drank their coffee. Though Allison seemed to be staring at the unusually acting Gabriel.

"He's so much like a child in that way." Marie stated.

"Eh" Allison asked back.

"Give him his favorite food and he calms right down. He's rather cute that way isn't he." Marie chuckled at the blushing Allison.

"Hey isn't that Wu's otaku partner?" Sakuya asked peering out the window at a girl in a sailor style school uniform.

"Gabriel-kun!" Sora cried running into the shop with Mint and Lavender right behind her. The group then noticed her clothes had tears in them and that she was bruised.

"Sora? Whats wrong? Where's Wu?" Gabe said coming out of his state of langour.

"That's just it." Lavender panted. "It's Wu. He's in danger."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"In danger", wasn't even the half of it, as Wu found himself cornered between a dead end alley and his viscious attacker.

"Such is the karma of those who side with the enemy, traitor." The hulking older man spoke. He was atleast as tall as Gabriel and about twice as wide, with arms the size of a gorilla's. He wore the garb of a priest, though his sleeves were short so as to reveal his incredible physique. A small silver cross with a comical skull set in its center hung around his neck. "And now.." he began. "I shall return that soul to God's kingdom." Pulling back his fist as golden metal spikes began popping up from his knuckles. He lunged forward with his fist sparking white energy.

Wu wasn't going down without a fight as he ducked under the punch and swung his foot up in a round house kick for his opponents face. His kick was stopped by the priest's other hand. Wu felt his leg go numb from the impact.

"Do you deny your self a swift end?" The priest said grabbing onto Wu's collar. "Even God's affection's are not denied to traitors. Let me give you a taste of it with:" he began to pull his head back and then lunged forward "The Headbutt of Love!"

Wu's nose broke as the large man's head impacted against his skull.

The priest wasn't done yet as his circled across Wu's back, locking Wu's arms in place, giving him no ability to escape.

"This is his Final Affections!" The priest began to squeeze his arms tighter, cutting off Wu's supply of air and causing him to thrash in pain.

"You who hath fallen go now to God's bosom with your last embrace." The priest prayed as his grip tightened. Wu began to black out till he was aware of a familiar voice.

"Wu-kun! We're coming!"

'Sora!' Wu thought 'Get away nobody can beat him!' he cried out internally. Then he noticed who it was that led the charge.

"Undertaker!" Gabe called taking a running start and sliding last minute, bringing his burning foot into his opponent's stomach.

The priest gagged and he was forced to release Wu. Gabriel wasn't done yet. As he caught the falling priest and used super human strength to lift him over his head.

"Down to hell you go!" Gabe said rotating on the balls of his feet. His rotation at its fastest he released the stunned priest sending him flying into a nearby building.

Wu watched in awe, wondering how he could've ever fought this guy to a stand still.

Sora had her arms around him, crying into his shoulder. Wu found his voice again.

"I'm alright Sora, really. Just a little banged up." Wu comforted wiping a tear from her eye. He then turned his attention to Gabe. "Never thought you'd save my ass." He said, sounding slightly grateful.

Gabe was focused on the pile of rubble where his victim lay, but he grinned back at Wu. "I'm the only one allowed to put you in your place. Any one else shouldn't be able to give you this kind of beating. Take a breather buddy. I'll clean up."

"Buddy huh?" Wu said as he finally blacked out.

Sora looked concerned but Daniel and Robyn were there to move Wu while Sakuya and the others led Sora away. That left Allison and Gabe alone in the alley with the slowly reviving rougue priest.

His eyes widened in shock when they fell on Gabriel and his mouth widened in a gleeful smile.

"DEAR TEACHER! FATHER JUSTIN!" He called up to the sky as he took to a knee. "THIS MUST BE A GIFT OF GOD! THE DEVIL HAS COME TO ME!"

"Why did you attack Wu." Gabriel demanded taking his stance.

"That wretch! He came to me begging for aid to help a friend unjustly put to trial. My heart bled at his dilemma and so I appealed to student and council alike for pardon. Only recently did I learn that the one put to trial was none other than the ruthless demon known for injuring innocent and comrade alike with his rampages. I sought him out to save his soul from your corruption." The assailant said taking a boxing stance. "And now I shall return your cursed soul to God!"

"Wait you have it all wrong!" Allison said trying to appeal to their foes rational side. "Gabriel isn't evil, Wu was really trying to help him because they are friends."

"Another foolish soul taken in by the devil's lies. It seems God will have to make room for many new arrivals." The white energy from before began to envelop his entire arm.

"Law abiding Silver Gun!" He let loose with a punch, sending a white energy blast racing down the alley and straight for Allison.

"Look out!" Gabe pulled her behind him, flinging his arms out to guard against the blast.

When the dust cleared Allison remained unharmed. Gabriel wasn't so lucky.

His body was sparking the white energy, and he was forced to his knees. "I can't move!" He grimaced struggling against invisible bounds.

"That is because of the anti-demon wavelength I developed specifically for paralyzing my foes." The priest clarified taking easy steps forward.

"For now you will wait here while I deal with the rest of your victims." He stood in front of Allison now, the gold spikes returned to his knuckles. Allison stepped back cowering, if only she hadn't sent Sakuya away with the others.

"Return now to God's kingdom." He said calmly pulling his fist back.

The temperature in the alley suddenly increased. They both looked back down the alley to a now standing, but still struggling Gabriel, his face awashed with fury and his maroon eyes glowing.

"Keep your hands off her!" Blue light started to immenate from his left arm as he took slow steps toward the now guarded priest. "Your crappy wavelength won't keep me from fulfilling my vow!" His right arm now burst out in angry red flames.

The white static suddenly dispersed and he rushed forward with his Devil Dynamite finisher blasting the priest wide eyed back down the alley.

His back to Allison, guarding her once more, he panted as he faced his opponent .

The blue light faded from his left arm but his right arm blazed up hot as ever.

"Allison." He said tiredly. "That took a lot out of me. Please I need your power if I want to put this guy down." He stated.

Allison smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I understand and thank you." She said as the red orb enveloped them once again.

"Tamashii no Bakugan!"

The priest was mesmerized at the being that stood before him now.

The Gabriel possessed Allison began swaying her arms in a flowing pattern and ended in stance where she had one arm out stretched, palm facing up and the other arm back, palm down.

"Muramasa school martial arts: Pheonix fist!" Allison said, speaking the name of her fighting style.

The enraged priest charged ahead a series of jabs easily paried by Allison's flowing arm style of fighting. The flurry ended with a clash between the priest right fist being blocked by Allison's opened palmed strike. The two attack's impact sending up a huge blast of air pressure that knocked the priest off guard, giving Allison the opening she needed to smash her foot into his stomach with a sobat kick that sent him realing into a nearby wall.

Gabe wasn't done yet as he chased after him smashing his fist into the same spot yelling "SHI", a second punch "GO", a flurry of punches followed each syllable.

"Shigoku Reppu!" (Hell's winds I think)

The last punch smashed the wall apart. The priest luckily enough wasn't on the end of that punch.

Gabe purposely missed on that last punch, to the surprise of his enemy.

He canceled the resonance, crouching down to his panting adversary. "If a devil knows when to show mercy then perhaps you should learn to do the same. Padre." He walked away supporting an exhausted Allison back to the party where their friends were waiting.

The priest however stared down at his beaten fist and gripped them tighter till blood began to pour out.

"This isn't over."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back in the Death room, Lord Death, Soul Eater, and Thomas crowded around the monitor as the fight ended.

Soul gave a whistle. "If he could do that much to someone of Duncan's level. I'd hate to see what he might do to one of Mori's thugs." He almost shuddered.

"Hah ha! That's my boy!" Thomas said proudly pumping his arm. " He ain't well done yet. But dammit he's on fire!"

Soul was the first to hear the door open over Thomas's ranting and an evil smile crossed his face. "Hey Hisako. Nice two piece."

Thomas's ear's practically perked up at this and he turned around expectantly. Only to see Hisako in a business suit. "Aw man." He complained.

"And just what's that supposed to mean!" Hisako said commencing to smack him senseless while Soul just laughed on through and said. "If he's not Well done. Then your positively raw, Tommy." He guffawed.

Shinigami only sighed, wondering how his life became so filled with worry line's.

Damn! This chapters practically longer than the last one, and I didn't even put music in it! I've caught the inspiration bug!

Preview: Duncan's rampage continues as he assaults another Shibusen outcast. Will a certain noble lion be the one to put a stop to him.

I do not own Soul Eater or it's original characters.

Please review.


	12. Honor of Leon

Alright! I would like to kick off this update with a brief message. I will now be taking oc's. However I can't make promises on the recurring use of these characters and since I more or less have a mental layout on how the story is going to playout, I will take only a maximum 2 oc's per person. This could be a meister and weapon team or possibly a character you wish to see working for Mori, use your imagination, also no Death scythes.

Well with that out of the way- Action!

The rampage of Brother Duncan. The noble lion's honor?

Shibusen Academy Infirmary

Wu took in his surroundings as his consciousness returned. The first thing he noticed was that he was in the infirmary. The second was the number of people crowded around his bed, looks of relief on their faces as they realized he was awake.

"What's with the looks?" He grumbled as Sora took a seat next to his bed to pull him up to a more comfortable sitting position. "You guys honestly think I'd bought it that easily?" He tried to chuckle but his lungs wouldn't allow it as he started coughing instead.

"Careful now Wu-kun." A japanese woman in a lab coat said taking notes on a another patient's condition. The woman's name was Tsuname Natsumi, head doctor of Shibusen academy of meisters, and the patient was Allison Rogers, also lying asleep in bed, with her partner, Sakuya, there to help make her comfortable.

"You have several broken ribs as well as severe blood loss due to your broken-nose." Natsumi continued, showing Wu an X-ray so he could better grasp the damage. She then returned to checking on Allison.

"What's she in for?" Wu asked, gesturing toward's Allison.

"Exhaustion." Natsumi clarified. "Not long after your friends brought you in, Gabriel-kun barged in carrying Rogers-san who apparently has collapsed due to the stress of resonating with Gabriel-kun. Right?" She asked Sakuya for confirmation.

"Eh hm. This happened the first time too." Sakuya said though she then turned her head to the door. "What I don't understand is why Devil Buster felt he had to go get something and why did Leon-kun and his team leave right after him?"

The door swung open as if in answer to her question. Gabriel walked in holding a pair of large bouquets.

Wu gawked at his rival. "One of those better not be for me." He said trying to sit up further despite his ribs protest.

"They're not." Gabe answered pushing Wu back down so he wouldn't push himself. He then offered one to Natsumi and bowed. "This is for you sensei."

Natsumi seemed puzzled by this gift.

"This is thanks for all those times you helped my former partners after one of my rampages. No matter how bad it was you were always there to help clean up my messes." He stated. "I can't thank you enough for trying so hard to put up with me."

Natsumi smiled as she took the bouquet and then smacked Gabe hard on the back, making him lose his footing and fall to the floor.

"Oh! You're not trying to seduce an older woman are you?" She said laughing a hardy lady's laugh. "You know, I already have a boyfriend." She said, then going through a monologue about how she met her one true love when she was just an academy student and how he was shipped out to a different HQ, but promised to marry her when he got back. A story that all her conscious patients and their visitors were always forced to suffer through whenever they came to the infirmary.

Gabriel slinked away over to Allison's bed, placing the bouquet in a nearby urn which he filled with water.

"The second one's for Allison-chan?" Sakuya asked making room for Gabriel to stand near Allison.

"Ah." He confirmed placing the urn on the mantel. "That guy was mainly after me. He said he was also planning on taking down anyone he thinks I've 'corrupted'. Once again I've put her, and actually, all of you in danger. Someone has to stop him and it might as well be me." He said, getting up to leave only for Sakuya to Muramasa chop him back into unconsciousness.

"Seriously." She huffed as she settles him into the bed next to Allison's to every one's dismay. "How does he plan on winning if it only takes one hit from me to put him down."

"He seems to have suffered some injuries." Mary said thoughfully.

"For now just let him sleep. That priest can be someone else's problem."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Watch it Xeal!"

A ginger haired youth in a black jacket with a phoenix printed on the back shoved his partner Xeal, a younger boy with hazel-brown hair and in silver and red trench coat, just as the pure white energy blast came racing toward them.

As the two boys brushed them selves off they spotted their would be assailant, a familiar, if not more maniacal looking, priest with gold spikes on his knuckles.

"Disgusting half-breed-" he said staring at Xeal with a look of disdain. "Your presence in this glorious city is an insult to the lord that I can no longer tolerate. Ready your selves to meet God's kingdom." He challenged, the energy rebuilding around his fist.

The boy with the phoenix jacket changed his hands into blades and glared back at the priest menacingly. "I don't know who the hell you think you are, but you're damn wrong if you think I'm going to let hurt my bro!" He charged straight for the priest ignoring his partners warnings.

"Phoenix! Don't do anything stupid!" Xeal chased after his friend, grabbing a nearby pipe to use as a weapon.

Phoenix swung wildly, not even clipping the priest as he ducked and dodged in boxer fashion. He then grabs phoenix's arm, just as one of his slashes goes wide, and smashes his own fist into the teen's elbow.

Phoenix's eyes widen as he hears a loud snapping noise. He cried out in pain, gripping his broken arm. The priest closed in for another attack when he felt a stabbing pain go off in his side. He grimaced as he his attacker, Xeal, brought his pipe around for another swing.

He catches it, crushing the metal in his powerful hands. His eyes radiated murderous intent as he grabbed Xeal by the collar and bringing his fist back to finish his target for good.

"Stop. If you'd please." A calm voice asked behind him. He turned his head to find a naginata blade pointed at his nose.

"If you would be be so kind as to lower my fellow Shibusen classmate, I would be most appreciative, Brother Duncan." Daniel said in a mock polite tone.

"Daniel Leon." Duncan said, throwing Xeal aside to face this newest interloper.

"The atrocious, lustful lion who has, like an incubus, corrupted the minds of the young Shibusen maidens. Not to mention your affiliation with that despicable Devil Buster." He spat as he mentioned Gabriel.

"Tut tut." Daniel shook his finger. "So judgemental. Is it not the duty of clergymen to hate the sin but forgive the sinner."

"Do not speak to me of forgiveness, wretch!" Daniel ducked under Duncan's swing. He pulled Rosa from her sheathe in his belt and smashed her and Hana's pommels into the angered man's stomach.

Duncan collapsed to the ground and began spiting up blood, to his own dismay.

"I thought as much." Daniel said, leisurely beginning to twirl Hana and Rosa in complicated motions that Duncan took as insults, remembering the fighting form Gabriel took on to defeat him. "Gabriel took care to aim for your core muscles to wear you down. I'm not surprised you're coughing up blood after that beating."

Duncan got back up to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth. "How?" he asked.

"I'm very observant and I believe information is as powerful as any blade, though mine are the exception." Hana and Rosa giggled at his compliment, while Fauna just looked away embarrassed from the reflection in her blade.

"I know many things about you as well, Brother Duncan Richards." He added, ending his little blade dance. "Trained from a young age, by a certain Death Scythe, to use your inherent weapon abilities without aid of a meister. And when this Death Scythe turned traitor and was killed by his former comrades 15 years ag-." Daniel was cut off as Duncan blasted another Law abiding silver gun at him.

"Don't you dare speak of Father Justin!" Duncan was enraged his right hand was a blurr, shooting off multiple smaller blast at once. "Law Abiding Silver Shotgun!"

"Seems I've hit a sore spot." Daniel clarified, beginning his complicated dance again to parry and block the silver buck shots. He would have been doomed when the second wave took him off guard, however he was saved by the timely reappearance of Xeal, wielding dual katanas. He commenced to follow Leon's lead as he slashed apart the oncoming onslaught.

"We'd like to join this party."One of the katanas spoke in Phoenix's voice.

"Appreciated. Can you buy us some time?" Daniel asked stabbing Rosa and Hana into the ground.

"As much as we can give." Xeal answered, reconnecting the ends of the katanas back into one weapon, and copying Leon's earlier taunt.

Duncan was unamused as he hastily began a flurry of jabs which Xeal easily sidestepped, smacking the blunt ends of his double volge into Duncan's back and stomach.

"Danny use me." Fauna called. Leon nodded, pulling Fauna from her scabbard on his back and stabbing her into the ground as well and went to a knee grasping her hilt.

"Soul Forging!" he called as a cobalt blue energy orb surrounded the group.

"Beginning forging." Hana and Rosa said as one. White energy streams began to snake out from their blades and collect in Fauna's, now giving off a new golden light.

Xeal continued to slash away at his opponent, all the while ducking under his hooks and jabs. "I think it's time we just finish him ourselves bro." Phoenix said as Xeal slammed his handle into Duncan's stomach with an uppercut .

Xeal didn't look sure, but he began resonance anyway.

"Soul Resonance." A purple orb grew out around him.

Phoenix's blades began to glow bright silver and grew out to three feet each. Xeal ducked under one last hook and started his variation of Witch Hunter. He opened with a diagonal slash that knocked their stubborn foe back a step. Then Xeal split the blades back to dual mode, parried one last desperate jab, and proceeded to slashing his foe, the rate of his speed and complexity of his blades dance increasing.

"Witch Destroyer!" Xeal returned the blade to single mode and blasted Duncan back with a final horizontal slash.

Duncan began coughing up more blood but still attempted to rise to his feet. Then he noticed Xeal standing before him his resonance canceled.

"I can't gurantee your safety if you don't stop now." Xeal said plainly though he looked like he didn't want to continue.

Duncan continued to rise to his feet with more vigor. "Mercy? How laughable. That is where you demons are weak. There is no mercy or forgiveness in this world there are only those who are pure and those who are not!" White energy surrounded both his arms as he began to pump them, white energy orbs settling in the air where his fist reached. He then stopped, a wall of the energy orbs separating him and Xeal, who stepped back wearily.

"Law Abiding Silver Machine Gun!" He slammed his fist into the wall, sending the orbs sailing at Xeal who attempted to block the onslaught by spinning Phoenix in a windmill motion, but to no avail as the blast exploded around him knocking him back.

Duncan panted, but looked pleased at his handy work. His arms hung tiredly, unable to lift them higher, but still he was pleased that he had finally accomplished his task. That is until the air began to hum and the dust suddenly flew away from the area of his target.

"Forging Complete"

Daniel had, at the last minute, blocked the majority of the blast from hitting Xeal. His new blade shined as powerful as ever, with not a scratch.

"The Ultimate Great Sword: Braver!" His new blade showed the reflections of all three girls in its brilliant triangular gold blade. It's Guard was square shaped and made of blue metal, with a lion head crest in it's center.

"Resonance of the Soul!" The cobalt blue orb surrounded him again, this time with red, mane like strands surrounding it. Gilgamesh's blade glowed bright gold and the lion head crest changed to a roaring expression.

"Climhazzard!" He swung his great sword down in a vertical arc, causing a huge flash of light to over take the area. Duncan only watched as his doom raced toward him, as he was too tired to move.

"For the act of harming my comrades and attacking this innocent man, I would very much like to cut you down." Daniel started as the light died down and the dust parted. It revealed an unharmed Duncan and the fissure that formed beside him where Daniel struck.

"But my honor as a swordsman won't allow me to attack an unarmed adversary." He finished, helping up the injured Xeal and leading him back to the Academy.

Duncan watched them walk away and grimaced as he forced him self to rise.

"Hmph. Mercy and honor. Only pretty names for weakness and pride."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"By the way, wasn't your arm broken?" Rosa asked Phoenix as they made their way to the steps of the academy.

"Yeah but I've got a pretty good doctor." Phoenix said leaning his elbow on his shorter partner, who seemed busy staring at a bruise on his arm and muttering to himself.

Leon was just within earshot to hear.

"Lupes. Lobos. Lupes…." Suddenly, purple light shined from his hand and the bruise suddenly disappeared to everyone except Phoenix's dismay.

"I see." Leon started "So that is what he meant by half breed. You possess witch blood." Xeal looked uncomfortable by Leon's deduction and Phoenix suddenly looked serious. "Is that a problem?" He asked threateningly.

Daniel chuckled. "Certainly not. If you over heard what he said about me then you know I also keep some less than popular, if not more famous, company."

"He said your allied with the Devil Buster. Is he really as vicious as they say?" Xeal asked.

"Hardly as vicious as a dog. Unless provoked. But recently he's had people who have been there to keep him in check. That was what his fight with Duncan was about earlier. He was saving one of his friends that Duncan attacked."

Xeal and Phoenix clearly didn't expect to hear this. This couldn't be about the same Devil Buster who was known for putting people in the hospital and leveling entire buildings with a punch. Xeal had even heard the rumor that he had gone to Osaka to save a girl who had recently become his partner, but he didn't know whether to believe it or not.

Daniel saw Xeal's doubtfulness plain on his face. "He's there in the infirmary now if you'd like to hear about it straight from him. Despite his many flaws he's actually a likable fellow."

Xeal looked toward the infirmary and nodded. Daniel smiled and led the way.

And done!

Ah. The new update smell.

Thank you Spartan S-999 for your Oc's Xeal Wolfe and Jasper Phoenix.

I'm looking forward to your reviews so keep them coming.

I do not own Soul Eater or it's original characters.

I also do not own the name "Climhazzard" as an attack.

Preview: Gabriel and the gang attempt to salvage their party only to be interrupted once again by Mori's thugs.


	13. The picnic ambush

The picnic ambush. Gabe's painful dilemma?

"How bothersome." Death muttered to himself, looking over the paperwork just presented to him by Hisako. "Not even an hour after I declare his verdict, he goes back to smashing the city!"

The papers that Death read over, were property damage reports for Gabriel, Xeal, and Daniel's fights with Duncan. New, unsymmetrical worry lines were beginning to form on his face.

"It wasn't completely his fault, though." Soul tried to remind his boss. "We've all known that Duncan's had it out for Gabe. Their clash could've actually ended worse."

"Still. Can't he at least find something more productive to do with his time than smash up my city?" Death complained, beginning to go into the fetal position.

"From what I heard." Thomas started. "Gabe, Rogers, Muramasa and a group of other students, are all heading out for a picnic of some kind in the park."

"How much trouble could they possibly get into doing that?" Hisako asked. Death however, shot back up with a look of profound worry. "Fujiri, Gunn. Get your equipment together and get down there. I'm not taking chances!"

The group of adults sighed at their boss' immaturity.

"Daniel-kun, Say 'ah'."

"No eat mine, Leon"

"Now Hana, Rosa, there's plenty of me to go around." Daniel chuckled, as Hana and Rosa argued over who would give the luches they prepared to Daniel first. Nearby, Fauna was lightly sipping her soda, while also hiding the lunchbox she prepared with embarrassment. Someone however noticed it.

"Hey babe. If your looking to feed someone, my mouth's wide open." Phoenix said settling down next to her. Fauna eyed him for only a second. And then-

"Ahhhhg!"

"Did you just hear a scream of agony?" Lavender asked Xeal as they were talking about their favorites books.

"Yep. I can only guess who and why it happened." Xeal said but didn't look up from his lunch.

"Xeal!" A wounded sounding Phoenix called. Xeal sighed and said " Keep the wound covered, I'm coming." Xeal excused himself from Lavender and Mint's table to go help his friend wrest the soda can from his skull. "Oh man! She really worked this thing in there didn't she."

"Just pull it out already. The soda's ruining my hair."

Wu and Sora laughed at the spectacle, but then noticed another such group wasn't doing the same.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Wu asked a brooding Allison, who sat near a pile of untouched containers and bowls which Allison prepared.

"Don't get involved man." Robyn warned. Wu looked at him questioningly.

"I'm afraid he's right." Marie stated. "It's unfortunate to mention, but you should probably know that dear Allison, um, has some issues with cooking."

"How bad could it be?" Wu asked, grabbing a container. Before anyone could stop him, he dipped his spoon in the concoction and brought it to his mouth.

(5 seconds later, due to the graphic nature of this gut spewing we are unable to show the content. Thankyou.)

"That stuff was god awful!" Wu cried, about to stuff fistfuls of grass in his mouth to cover the taste.

"Yep. I told you." Robyn nodded, before both were silenced by Sakuya's Muramasa Chop. "Now look what you did!" She pointed to a now sobbing Allison.

The entire group tried to calm her down, when they heard the sound of clinking bowls.

"More please!" Gabriel said holding out a completely licked clean bowl to Allison. Allison and the group stared at him for second before she asked, "You like it?"

"Em. Especially that stew in the hot pot container." Allison's face lit back up as she began spooning the stew into his bowl, which he immediately began scarf down.

"How can he eat that stuff. That's the worse thing on the menu!" Robyn said watching Gabe with worry. "What is it?" Daniel asked scooting closer to watch.

"That's her 'Every Pepper Stew'." Robyn answered, shuddering at the name. "She just throw's in any kind of pepper she can get her hands on."

"Then could this be?" Sora asked excitedly. "Yes I think it is." Marie confirmed taking her hands. "This is LOVE!" They both cooed.

"Nope." Wu said causing them both to fall over. "That's just Gabe's weakness." He said nodding. Those in ear shot leaned closer to hear. "Gabe loves spicy foods. Can't get enough of em'. The only problem is-" Wu stopped as Gabe's eyes suddenly shot up in alarm. He lightly put down his spoon and bowl, excused himself and then suddenly made a mad dash for the restroom, knocking over anything and anybody that got in his way. Allison and the group stared on in shock, all except for Wu who finished with "His stomach can't take it."

"I hope he's alright." Sakuya asked straightening up the picnic area. "He's probably a lot safer in there than we are out here." Mariam stated, strapping on here arm crossbow. The group was confused until she pointed up. "We have guest."

A large black shape could be seen falling from the sky directly above them. The group scrambled out of the way. "How about it an earlier warning next time Marie." Robyn complained as he and the other weapons took their forms.

Sakuya, as a katana, was held firmly in Allison's hands. Robyn flashed green and then changed into a green quiver of arrows, which Mariam tugged over shoulder. Leon stood ready with Rosa(Spanish Sabre) and Hana(Naginata) drawn, and Fauna(Two handed sword) in her scabbard on his back. Wu was already taking his Xiao lin fighting stance, with Sora changed into a metal boot with wing attachments on his leg. Xeal already had Phoenix(Katana Double Volge) resting comfortably across his shoulder. In a flash of puple light, Lavender had taken her weapon form as a Sanjiegun(three poled staff) made of puple wood, and connected by silver chains, which Mint now held up in a defensive stance.

The dust cleared to reveal their adversary, standing atop another of the strange mechanical monsters, a familiar brown haired boy wearing a red t-shirt and black combat pants and an unusual metal glove on his right arm.

"Shibusen maggots, this time I wil-"Robyn cut him off. "Hey! It's the flamethrower dude." He said with recognition. The youth started stamping on the machine's metal arms angrily. "Don't interrupt me when I make my big entrance speech and the name's not flamethrower dude!" He yelled.

"Well you didn't exactly tell us your name last time." Allison stated, the rest of the group nodded. The boy stumbled for a second, wondering how his big entrance could be ruined so easily.

"Alright fine! I am Toya Akira. And I am here to kill the Devil Buster!" Akira said with as much drama as he could muster.

"He's not here."Wu said causing Akira to stumble again. He started getting angry again but a smile crept across his face.

"You're his friends right? Then we'll just use you to bring him running." He snapped his fingers causing the machine beneath him to come to life and further impacts across the park could be heard as two more machines made crash landings in the park.

"Well this isn't looking good." Mint stated.

"How do you know these guy's again?" Xeal asked changing Phoenix to dual mode.

"They work for an Arms dealer named Mori. That one in red there seems to have it out for Gabriel. We beat one of these things before but that was with Gabriel's help, and now there's three." Marie answered, firing off a set of arrows at one the charging machines.

Wu front flipped over another machine, kicking it in the back of the head as he did. "Yeah. But now you've got us as back up." He said confidently.

Xeal ducked under one creatures flailing fist, brining Phoenix down hard on top of it. The machines arm sparked as it realized it's hand was now lying lifeless on the ground. "We won't abandon our friends." He said assuredly.

Mint used lavender like a whip. The wooden three poled staff smacking against the hard metal until it finally caught around the creature's leg. Mint ran between the machines legs, causing its foot to fall wrong. The metal giant stumbled over it's own feet. "This is nothing." The Tibetan girl said, retrieving the rest of her weapon.

Allison smiled. Thankful to have such wonderful friends. She wrenched Sakuya from her sheathe and made a mad dash for Akira.

"Let's go!"

(Hit the music: Strength by Abingdon Boys school.)

kawaita kuchibiru itetsuku taiyou ni sarasarete  
>afureru namida ga shitataru mabushisa de boku wo nazoru kara<p>

Akira ducked under her slashes. Bringing up his armored hand, last minute to guard against her attack. Allison countered by using Sakuya's sheathe to smack him across the face. Causing him to stumble back once more.

tarinai kasho wo tada ume au you ni kimi wo motomete ita  
>fureau yubi ni tsutawaru setsu nasa dake wo kaki atsumete<p>

Akira rubbed his bruised cheek, and glared at Allison hatefully. "You want a sword fight huh? Fine by me!" He pulled out what appeared to be a metallic tube.

"Ready for some action, Hikari?" He seemed to ask the tube. It seemed to suddenly come to life as a the top suddenly shot up, held up by a small attenae like attachment on the side. A bright green light suddenly formed between the tube and it's top. The air around it seemed to hum. "Ready Aki-san." The lightsaber responded in a girls voice.

kodou no oku ni kazasu negai wo sadame to iu nara  
>nokosareta kioku to nakushita kimi no<br>omokage ga ima mo okizari no mama

Allison was shocked to see a weapon that didn't work for Shibusen, but she wouldn't let it distract her as she ran her hand up Sakuya's blade. Resheathing and then unsheathing, she revealed her blade, now as the Crimson hunter.

kasuka na toiki to furueru manazashi ni yurameite  
>kazureru tamashii wo me wo yuru kirameki ga futari wo tsutsun de<p>

The mechanical monsters stomped around, attempting to flatten the pest that swarmed around their feet, but Marie and the others were too fast for them.

"Marie, try this one." Robyn said from his place on her back. Marie reached back to the arrow Robyn created. She smiled as she felt the familiar design. It was a single black arrow with a round tube like arrow head and red feathers on its end.

Marie pulled back on her crossbow, setting the arrow in place. "Explosive Arrow: Black Eagle!"

deawa nakereba kizutsuke au kotosae mo nakatta no kana

The arrow exploded against the gargantuan beast. As it stumbled, its legs were suddenly taken out from under it by a fast white blur.

The culprit suddenly appeared atop the fallen machines chest, his spear poised over it's face.

"Quick Silver: The ultimate spear!" Leon slammed the spade shaped tip of his majestic white spear into the robots eye. Using the speed ability Quick Silver granted him, he evaded the explosion that followed.

mogareta hane no itami ni yori soi nagara sotto nemurou

Wu raced back and forth between his adversary's legs, keeping it from being able to get a lock on him as it used it's laser eye weapon to tear at the ground.

Wu's distraction granted Mint the opportunity she needed. With a superhuman leap, she grabbed onto her targets raised arm and used her sanjiegun to hoist herself up. She then pulled herself up to the creature's shoulders to wrap her weapon around the robot's eyes, cutting off it's field of vision. She pulled hard, awarded with the satisfying sound of crushed metal as it's eyes shattered against her strength.

modorenai kara kaerenai kara inochi wo karashite  
>toozakaru ano hi to nakusu bakari no kono ude ga<br>kimi no nukumori ni kogarete

Wu took this chance to activate his Soul Resonance. Great, white energy wings shout up from his heel as he front flipped and smashed into his enemy with a flying side kick.

"Hissastsu: Meteora!"

"Soul Resonance!"

Phoenix's blades grew out and shined bight silver as Xeal sliced off his opponents other hand with his Witch Destroyer technique.

daremo ga chigau sabishi sa mochi yotte asu wo hoshigaru kedo  
>kimi ga mezashita kegare naki sono tsuyosa de boku wo kowashite <p>

The robot flailed out with it's useless arms, it's lasers blasting in all directions.

Xeal was able parry whatever blast were heading his way but he had to jump back as the machine made a mad rush toward a dueling Allison. Xeal was about to pursue his escaping target, when the sound of gunfire could be heard coming from his right.

The creature stumbled as the barrage blasted against it's unprotected side.

"You kids did pretty 'well done'. But let the adults handle it now."

koe ni dekizu ni taeta inori wo sadame to nazukete  
>nokosareta kioku to naku shita kimi no omokage ga<br>ueta kono mune ni ima mo okizari no mama 

Hisako stepped out of the shadows, wearing a flashy red riding jacket, black pants, and a familiar fedora. She wielded a gangster style tommy gun, from which the voice from before came from.

"Time to show 'em what the Red Baroness can do!" Thomas said to his partner confidently.

"Roger!" She responded as a scarlet energy orb grew around her. The tommy gun in her hand started to glow and suddenly the barrel extended out and multiple other barrels grew out from it. Thomas now had the appearance of a mini gun as Hisako leveled it at the hulking monstrocity.

"Infinte Auto!" The mini gun hummed to life as Hisako let loose with a hail storm of bullets. The barrage ripped through the creature's metal shell and caused it to blow apart.

The group all gathered together, thanking Hisako and Thomas as they retook human form, and Thomas retrieved his hat.

"They still going at it?" He asked as the group watched the still dueling Allison and Akira.

"Getting tired?" Akira asked the panting Allison, though anyone could see he was also exhausted. "Feel like calling your boyfriend yet?" He sneered as his light saber changed to a crackling bluish hue.

Allison stood in defiance of his taunts and shifted her stance to a crouching position and reverse handing Sakuya.

"Time to end this!" Akira said gripping Hikari with both hands and rushing forward with Hikari pointed back. Allison jumped forward her blade slashing.

"Muramasa School: Zantetsuken!"(iron-cutting sword)

"Spark Break!"

The two finishers clashed, knocking both Allison and Akira back.

As the two regained their footing, Akira became aware that he was alone in this battle and knew this was as good a time to run as any.

"Remember this-" He started hitting a button on his metal gauntlet. "The devil will be mine!" A thick smoke screen suddenly overtook the area, the group knew they wouldn't be able to find him there so they didn't try.

"That wasn't half bad." Hisako congratulated Allison as she helped her to her feet.

"What happened!" The group turned to find Gabriel, just exited from the bathroom, and running over to his friends wearing a look of great concern.

"Yes I would like to know as well." The group now looked up to find Lord Death floating down to them using his skateboard Beelzebub.

After the group caught both of them up on the battle, Lord Shinigami stared off at the destruction while the group was busy trying to reassure a rapidly apologizing Gabriel, who felt guilty once again for getting his friends in danger.

"Well I wasn't inclined to this idea before. But after witnessing this-" Lord Death began getting the groups attention. "I believe I have a good way to put our next generation's destructive tendencies to good use."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In a far away location

"What do you think Malus-sama?" Mori asked a cloaked figure with respect.

"How very vexing." The cloaked figure said, his voice seemingly youthful sounding.

"Yes I know this demonstration of our Promethean class mechs was less than exemplary. But rest assured our next batch shall far outshine them." Mori said a little less confident than he sounded.

"Do as you please." The cloaked youth said as he exited the room.

His thoughts were not on the machines though. He always wondered why his mother felt the need to deal with the greedy human. However something much more interesting caught his attention as the screen faded.

'I've finally found you. Fury.'

Hoo boy I need a vacation. Please review.

I do not own Soul Eater and blah blah blah,


	14. Formation Diablon

Sorry about the lack of a preview last time, I couldn't think of a next chapter till now. So … Let's go!

The formation of Team Diablon. Who are the Bios?

"Team what?" The group of teenagers asked the disturbingly calm Shinigami. When they were all asked to come to the Death room, they thought it was to be punished for all the damage their recent battles have caused to Death City. However, the usually disgruntled Death had only assigned them a special mission and dubbed them:

"Team Diablon." Shinigami answered. "With this name I am assigning you all to be my special investigation force, to deal with this "T."."

"So does this mean were like the Spartoi that Shinigami-sama and his comrades formed years ago?" Sora asked excitedly.

"Not quite." Soul said to her disappointment. "Spartoi was a task force founded for dealing with Kishin related matters. This is, hopefully, not as dire a job."

"Oh I get it." Phoenix said self assuredly. "You're just giving us, Shibusen's problem students, and a task that'll keep us out your hair till you fix up the city as good as new."

Sakuya and Allison gasped. Were they also classified as 'problem students' now?

"No! Nothing like that." Hisako tried to reassure them. "It's just that some of you seem to attract some less than pleasant attention to themselves and we're just trying to make sure that attention doesn't affect Death City's civilians."

The group all looked back at the one person who always seemed to draw 'unpleasant' attention to himself.

Despite their stares, Gabriel continued to sip the coffee he had brought from Cabacura's without guilt.

Shinigami sighed. "That's not all. Each of you shows incredible skill despite your ranks. Skill I hope will be essential in combating Mori's rumored Bios."

"What are Bios?" Allison asked.

"Right this way Lady Plaguea." Mori guided a tall women with light blond hair tied back in a rat tail like braid. Her outfit was equally unusual since it was jet black, had long sleeves but a short bottom end, and possessed a strange stain glass pattern stitched into it.

The witch followed, watching all the activity around her with mixed interest as many of Mori's young henchman bustled out of the way, carrying all sorts of rare and illegal goods.

"Your little trafficking business seems to be going quite well, Tachibana." The witch Plaguea clarified. Mori grimaced at the lack of respect she showed by saying his name so casually, but he took it all in stride since she was such a generous investor for his work. "I can only hope so my lady. After all you and you're son have invested into us. And without further adieu…" He said as they came upon their destination. "I present to you, the crown jewels of my personal guard: The Bios."

The area was a sealed off metal arena filled with the sounds of combat and screeching metal. A swarm of small machine men, similar to their 'Promethean' cousins, were locked in combat with a small group of teenagers. Akira Toya was among them.

Akira's fists were a blur as he let loose on the walking practice dummies. He heard the satisfying sound of metal against metal as his prosthetic arm smashed into another robots face, causing it to stumble back and trip up a number of its comrades. From the corner of his eye he saw another lunging for him. He calmly hit a button on the top of his metallic hand causing a three inch stinger to pop out of his wrist. He casually pointed the stinger at his adversary, though he remained turned sideways, and swung home with a right hook into its chest. The machine began to flail about as electricity began to discharge through the stinger and into its systems. Akira pulled back as the robot exploded. He walked away confidently to find a new victim.

"Hardly impressive." Mori turned to find the still cloaked Malus leaning against a nearby wall as the two adults entered the viewing platform of the arena.

"Akira maybe lacking power unlike his comrades but his skill and loyalty are unmatched." Mori said in his subordinate's defense. Malus only huffed but continued to watch the other members of the group.

A girl with light greenish hair seemed to stand out among the group of teenager's as she seemed to playfully hop atop her opponents head's like a game of hop scotch. She wore a long sleeve pink shirt and kaki cargo shorts. Her adversaries desperately tried to claw at her with their long metallic fingers but she always seemed out of reach.

She finally touched down away from the robots and smiled expectantly as one started to draw near her. Her legs swung out in a wide roundhouse kick that seemed just out of range. But then the robots head suddenly jumped from its neck and its body collapsed headless. The green haired girl pivoted with her leg still out in kick position. Growing out of the center of her foot was a 2' long energy blade that had the same color as her hair. "Next." She said playfully.

"Hikari. My own daughter, ma'am." Mori explained as he watched her with pride."Though of course all of my elite are like my children to me." He said equally with pride.

"Of course." Plaguea said, watching her own son who seemed to be growing more bored.

"Nothing I haven't seen already for the past hour." Malus said vexation clear in his tone. "If you don't have anything interesting to show, then I'm gone." He said looking towards the exit.

Mori was trying hard not to show his anger. He always hated this brat and he would not have him disrespect him or his children.

"Very well Malus-sama. Beltza." He said. Malus almost jumped as he finally noticed the very strange and sickly looking being that appeared out of nowhere. The boy wore very loose fitting clothes under a blue trench coat and a surgical mask covering his face. Most striking of all was his electric blue hair, a 666 tattoo above his eyebrows and his tired looking, blood shot eye

"Beltza, tell the engineers corps to ready the Thalos prototype, and then join Akira and the other's in the arena." Mori commanded.

"Understood." Was the boy's only soft reply before he suddenly vanished in an inky black cloud of who knows what? Malus watched Beltza go with a feeling of profound disgust. 'Freak' He thought to himself.

Five minutes later, the smaller bots suddenly stopped their assault, to the surprise of the Bios, and began to walk away into garage like exits all around the arena.

Beltza then reappeared in another cloud of inky blackness. His comrades greeted him but he shied away after explaining the situation. As the crowd of robots began to thin out more and more, the last two members of Bios regrouped with their comrades, and Malus wondered how he missed these two even in that crowd.

The first of the two seemed to come right out of some Japanese martial arts show, though he didn't seem to be Japanese at all. He wore a long, short sleeve samurai like coat and no under shirt, so his muscular six-pack was shown for all to see. He also wore a traditional Japanese hakama bottom and his blond hair was put up in a spiky flat-top, with a headband wrapped around it.

The taller of the two was no less strange. He seemed to wear an eccentric cowboy garb complete with hat, poncho, boots and a bandana wrapped around his face. Though he wasn't standing off alone like Beltza, the cowboy didn't seem to be talkative, unlike his equally cosplay loving companion who seemed to be boasting his great strength at their retreating adversaries.

The arena suddenly started shaking as another, albeit far larger, door began to open in the wall. The room shook again rhythmicly, almost in a stomping pattern as their next opponent came ever closer.

Its great mass filled the door way as it stomped through with its creaky, heavy gait. It was similar in appearance to its twelve foot tall predecessor however it was at least 3times taller, possessed new, bulkier looking armor and a plume like attachment on its skull like head. It carried a massive Greek xiphos in one hand and a chain flail in the other.

"Our esteemed investors wish to see a more grand display of your abilities, my dear Bios. Please enjoy yourselves." Mori said smiling down at them.

"Alright! Let's give a real show guy's. Sho you're with me." Akira said to the samurai cosplayer, who responded with a pumped up sounding, "Osu!". He took a spread legged stance and began to flex his muscle as a loud whirring sound seemed to come from him. His hands suddenly flashed as twin chain saw blades sprang from his wrist. The rest of him also began to flash red. Akira grabbed Sho's shoulder as his body changed into a 4 foot long pole connecting the two saws together. Akira now wielded a dual ended chain saw staff that roared louder than ever.

"Joe, you take Hikari." The cowboy said nothing but nodded as Hikari took her light saber form. Crescent shaped blades then shot out of his boots and he took off, skating on his bladed feet.

"Bel, you-" Akira stopped when he noticed the sickly looking boy already making his way toward the colossus, black clouds covering his arms. "Do… what ever… you want." He finished. "Alright. Let's go!"

Joe, being the fastest, was the first to reach the Thalos mech. Using his momentum; he somersaulted over its low sword swing and landed skillfully on the creature's blade. He skated his way up the blade to its arm, his skates throwing off sparks. Thalos attempted to remove the pest from his shoulder by swinging his flail, however the unmanned mech lacked common sense as Joe jumped off from the creature's shoulder. The flail swung wild, smashing into its face with a sickening 'clang', knocking the creature over to the ground.

The massive robot tried to right itself but suddenly its head was pulled back down by black tendrils. More tendrils erupted from the ground, wrapping about the creature's bulk and foiled its attempts to stand back up.

"Nice work Bel!" Akira called to the crouching Beltza. His hands merely touched the ground and a pool of blackness spread across the arena to the floored Thalos. Akira rushed forward with Sho, slamming the saw staff down on the creature's face with a vertical slash. The metal screeched as the saw cut into it, drawing an ugly scar across Thalos' face.

Beltza then pulled in the black mass back into his hands. The inky black substance squirmed between his fingers. He then took a kamehameha stance and shot the blackness forward in a huge snaking stream.

The stream smashed into the robots chest, lifting it into the air past the viewer's stands.

As this was going on Joe was racing to the far wall of the arena and as he reached the corner his skates hit the wall and he ran vertically up the concrete. He reached the zenith of his climb directly above Thalos and threw Hikari, swirling into the robot's back where it was embedded there. He then released his weapon powers and jumped from the ceiling to stomp his boot into Hikari's hilt and sending the giant plummeting back down to ground. They crashed back down in a jumble of broken parts and rubble.

Mori smiled, pleased at his subordinate's skillful victory. "Most impressive Tachibana." Plaguea complimented Mori's display. "What was your take of the battle Malus?" She asked her still disgruntled son.

"All I saw was further proof of what a waste of our time and money this project was." He said leaving. Plaguea watched him leave. Truthfully she wasn't very interested in the fight as well, but might as well let the old man have this one victory so long as he remained useful. "Then with our business concluded, I look forward to working with you in this 'campaign'." The witch followed her son out leaving Mori to fatherly watch over his children as they gathered together once more.

Joe helped Hikari up as she complained about his rough treatment of her weapon form, which he only apologized with a shrug. Beltza however was complaining even louder as Akira and Sho took him by the arms and dragged him with them out of the arena.

"Come! Let us celebrate another great victory!" Sho proclaimed.

"That's alright! I-I don't feel like celebrating, also I need to take my meds!" Beltza continuously tried to pry himself from the boy's grasp.

"We'll grab your meds on the way. You can't survive on 10 pills a day and no human interaction. If you want to kick this sick state of yours you need fun and root beer!" Akira declared.

Beltza started sputtering again when his vision was suddenly cut off by hat being dropped on his head. Joe, his medium length red hair now free without the restricting hat, placed his hand on Beltza's shoulder, giving him a reassuring nod. Beltza immediately stopped complaining and let his comrades lead him to the party.

Thank you Aldous for your oc Beltza Heriotza. And welcome to the SE fury family .

On a similar note, to all future oc creators, please be patient with my use of your characters in combat and allow me to use their more dramatic abilities and their stories at my own pace. Also I know making lonely characters is popular but in my fic I guarantee they ain't gonna stay lonely long.

Please review!

I do not own soul eater or its original characters

I should also mention that I do not completely own Joe's costume design, Sho's weapon form and Joe's finisher featured in this chapter. They are all from various videogames.

Also if you want a better idea of Plaugea's outfit, look at Oichi's (From Sengoku basara 3) alternate costume.


	15. Clash! Back to Cairo?

Clash! Back to Cairo?

"Remind me again. Why are we back in this god forsaken desert?" Robyn complained angrily. Hana immediately silenced him, none of them liked the fact that as their first mission as team Diablon, Lord Death gave them a trip back to Egypt, where they first encountered one of Mori's Mechs., and they didn't need Ronyn's complaining to make it worst.

"Well at least it's livelier this time." Rosa commented, which was true since Cairo had now returned to the busseling trading and tourist point it was known for being. Shops all around were shouting their wares and Gabe and Daniel had brought drinks from a nearby concession to them.

"I suppose there is lots to see." Robyn said eyeing all the beautiful women, tourist and local alike, who walked by. "Indeed." Daniel agreed joining his viewing of the 'attractions'. Four sets of blades, and one clumsy smack from the blind girl, pummeled the two boy's heads into the sand.

"Men!" Fauna said disgustedly. "If they're not thinking with their stomachs they're thinking with their-"Hana quickly covered her mouth. "Now Fauna are you trying to make us lose our K+ rating?"

"Whatever the case," Allison tried to return to business. "We need to read up on where that robot might have come from." Those who weren't in ostrich poses nodded and followed her to the huge library/museum located near the city's center. Sakuya stopped Gabe and pointed towards their two downed teammates. "Can you get them please?" She then turned and followed the rest of the girls.

Gabriel sighed as he hoisted his two male compatriots out of the dirt. "This is probably a life lesson we all should learn from. Gazing upon the lactation organs of females will only lead you to nothing but trouble."

Both boys looked at each other, as if what he just said didn't compute. "Did you understand a thing that he just said?" Daniel asked Robyn.

"I don't know but it sounded kinky." Robyn joked.

"Cut the shit you two we're here."

"Ugh! I'm booooorrrrrrrrred!" Robyn cried tossing away the map he was going through. Shushes came from all around, this was a library after all.

He brought his voice down to a whisper to speak to his friends. "Why are we looking through maps again?"

"That mech couldn't have just been dropped in the desert so they could give it a test run. It must have had a base of somekind, for repairs and supplies for the pilot."Mariam explained to her impatient partner.

"I suppose people would have noticed if some factory or something started spitting out giant robots. It must be located somewhere out in the middle of the desert, where no one would go looking." Sakuya reasoned.

"The mummies curse." Gabriel suddenly murmured. His friends all looked at him questioningly. He rolled out an old newspaper he was skimming through, showing an article about the excavation site of ancient tomb.

"The tomb of Tutenkhaman?" Rosa asked as they all looked over the article."I remember hearing something about that." Hana added.

"When the tomb was first investigated, the workers and some of the archeologist became sick and bedridden, and others died." The group shuddered at the morbid information.

"They believed it was the work of some ancient Kishin whose madness had permeated the air within the tomb. Good thing now they discovered it was only ancient bacteria."Daniel added in his own information. "From what I heard the place has been sterilized. But the public still refuses to draw near it out of superstition."

"Sounds like the perfect place to hide a robot factory to me." Robyn said excitedly.

The colossal pyramid was finally in view, as the jeeps the group borrowed drew near. It was a colossal black monument to Egypt's youngest king, showing all the pride of the ancient Egyptians and the blood, sweat and tears of their slaves.

"Marie-chan, do you sense anything?" Sakuya asked as the group came toward the great, double-doored entrance. Marie closed her eyes and began to concentrate. She saw the souls of her comrades all around her and she began to expand her soul perception over the pyramid and down to its lowest depths.

"I see two souls. Both weapons?" Her friends shared her confused look.

"Did Shinigami-sama send a team in before us?" Hana asked out loud.

"Whoever they are, we should probably go meet them and exchange information. Perhaps they've stumbled upon something already." Allison said as they made their way over to the stone doors.

"New problem guys. How are we supposed to open this?" The group repeatedly tried to open the giant doors with no success. "Alright Gabe your turn." Robyn panted.

Gabriel stared up at the doors for a few seconds. He walked over, tapped on the stone, held his ear to it and gave an experimental shove, which caused the doors to shudder but other wise not budge.

"Need some distance." He stated and began walking back out into the desert. "This I gotta see." Fauna said, her hands on her hips, expectantly.

Reaching the distance he needed, Gabe immediately spun back around, and braced his foot against the sand. Heat waves began to swirl around him as red flames shot up around his feet.

Suddenly, he rushed forward, his feet making a burning trail in the sand. As he drew near the door he jumped straight at his target with a flying drop kick.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

CRASH!

The rumbling of the pyramid reached down to the lowest point, where two shady souls waited.

"Seems our cleanup mission's been interrupted." One of the two said to his partner, who remained silent.

"It might actually be fortunate. Be a shame to let these go to waste without letting them taste the glory of battle." He chuckled as he pressed a button on a nearby control panel.

The room suddenly came alight with the glows of a hundred pairs of red eyes.

"Damn Gabe! Don't wake the dead!"Robyn cried as the group all ran after their boisterous companion. But when they entered, no Gabriel.

"Gabriel?" Allison shouted for her teammate but there was no answer.

"Gabriel-kun. Don't you try to scare any of us." Hana warned as they searched the room.

"Wait do any of you hear something from that direction?" Marie asked, her hands to her ears. The group looked toward the hallway she was pointing at. They listened closely, and could make out the repeated tromping of loud footsteps, and quiter though more frantic foot steps with them.

Gabriel suddenly burst from the shadows huffing and running for his life.

"What did you do Buster?" Sakuya said as he passed them, heading toward the exit. His only rebuttle was: "Talk later, run now!"

And run they did as his pursuers suddenly burst into view, their mechanical claws groping for prey.

"Holy crap!" Robyn picked up Marie and followed after Gabriel and the others. Marie continued complaining, saying she didn't see anything.

The pyramid suddenly began rumbling again as a metal slab sprang down from the doorway, blocking the exit and cutting off the groups source of light. The only light came from the glowing eyes of their enemies.

"Well looks like we found our robot factory." Daniel said as the group turned to face the hunting robots. The weapons, save Gabriel, took their weapon forms as their meisters readied themselves for battle.

"I can't see anything. What are we fighting?" Marie said. The group suddenly realized that since their enemies were machines and didn't possess souls Marie couldn't see them with her soul perception.

"Then I'll be your eyes." Robyn comforted. "For now take this and shoot it straight up." Marie did as he said, taking the arrow he materialized in his quiver form and shot upward where it stuck in the ceiling.

"Fluorescent Arrow: Dawn Jay!" The entire room suddenly filled with light allowing the companions to finally see their skulking mechanical foes.

"Well that's one problem solved." Allison said as she sliced through a lunging machine with Sakuya. Her friends and the horde began combat all around her. She rapidly hacked and slashed any enemy that drew near her. Her focus kept her from noticing the other danger as the floor suddenly slid out from under her.

She expected to tumble down to her death, but suddenly a hand caught hers and she was pulled back to safety.

"Be careful. This place is probably booby-trapped." Gabriel said as he helped her to her feet.

"Thank you." She said gratefully. Gabe smiled until suddenly his eyes widened as he looked past her. He shoved her away last minute as the two mechs leapt at him, causing all three of them to tumble down the hole.

"Gabriel!" She screamed after him.

He tumbled down a sloping shoot with his mechanical adversaries bouncing around after him. Their fall came to a sudden halt as the shoot opened up into another room.

They hit the floor hard, both mechs sparking as their mechanical parts malfunctioned from the bouncing around.

Gabe worked the soreness from his aching back as he tried to get back on his feet. Lucky thing too, as a whirring buzz saw came down where his head was a second before.

He turned around to look at his foiled assailant and was greeted by a strange sight. The buzz saw had come from the wrist of the closest of his attackers, a blond haired teenager in a strange mixed matched samurai like garb. The other was a tall cowboy, who held a gun barrel like finger leveled at his head.

"I'm guessing you two aren't with Shibusen." He stated. The samurai cosplayer chuckled and jumped back to stand with his comrade.

"Greetings Devil Buster! We are the elite soldiers trained by the Great Mori-sama himself. The Bios!" He said, stamping his foot down in sumo fashion. "I am the mighty Sho Ryujin!" He introduced loudly. The cowboy tipped his hat to Gabe. "Joe." He said quietly.

"Well I guess we can assume this is one of Mori's manufacturing plants after all." Gabriel stated out loud as he began to walk away, to Sho's dismay.

A gunshot went off right next to Gabe's foot causing him to step back. He glared at the cowboy threateningly, though Joe seemed to remain unfazed.

"Oi oi oi! You're not going anywhere." Sho said pointing at Gabe. "You defeated our comrade Akira in honorable combat. The least you could do is face us with the same honor."

"I don't have time for mano a mano. So both of you come at me together." Gabe challenged, taking his palm forward, fist back stance.

The two looked at each other, then turned to face their cocky opponent. "You'll regret those words." Sho said, bringing out both his saw wrist blades. Joe followed suit, bringing out his axe blade like skates.

Joe was the first to make a move as he rushed for Gabriel, swinging his bladed boot at Gabriel in a roundhouse kick. Gabe ducked under blade and pulled back his fist to counter when he spied the saw blade coming straight for him.

"Longinus!" He summoned his energy blade. The two wrist blades clashed, Sho's throwing up sparks against Gabe's. The two struggled against each other, Gabe's greater physical seemed to be winning out.

Suddenly Gabe found his feet taken out from under him as Joe caught him by surprise with a low kick. Sho took advantage of Gabriel's loss of balance and immediately grabbed his head and slammed it against a nearby wall.

"Todomeda!" He called as his buzz saws began to whir louder than ever and glowed dark red.

"Ryu Tetsu Dan (Iron dragon chop)!" Sho swung his blades in opposite diagonal arcs ,sending an X-shaped slash blast soaring toward Gabe.

The wall Gabe was slumped against fell in a smoking pile of rubble. Joe stood next to his partner and placed his hat over his heart, in respect for the dead.

As Allison cut down another mechanical foe she couldn't help but notice the subtle clench in her heart.

"Ms. Rogers, focus!" Daniel was suddenly at her side using Gilgamesh to fend off a robot that escaped her notice. "I know you must be worried about Devil Buster, but for now we must worry about the comrades still with us.

Allison knew he was. Gabriel always fought to protect everyone without distraction. As his partner she had to do the same.

"Sakuya-chan." She called her best friend, readying for resonance.

"Let's go daibo." Sakuya answered as the light blue energy orb surrounded the two girls. The other two teams followed their lead as a pink orb surrounded Marie and Robyn and a cobalt blue orb surrounded Daniel.

"Resonance Link!"

A huge white energy orb covered the entire group as they let loose with their signature attacks.

"Ho-oh Hou!"

"Climhazzard!"

"Starlight Arrow: Flock Shower!"

"You were indeed a mighty foe. But the comradery and teamwork of the Bios will quell even the most powerful of demons." Sho euthanized at the rubble.

The pile of rubble suddenly exploded in a shower of dust and debris. Gabriel stood in the center of the destruction, his body radiating with an angry red aura.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let anyone take my life. Not now." He said as his demonic arm suddenly burst out in red fire. "Leviathan!" He called as the fire shape shifted to that of a flaming serpent.

In the blink of an eye Gabe stood face to with the stunned Sho. Gabe smashed his foot into Sho's stomach with a sobat kick, sending him flying. Leviathan instantly extended past Gabriel's arm and wrapped around the midair Sho, pulling him back toward Gabe, who met the oncoming Bio with a reverse round house kick that sent him flying into another wall.

Joe rushed to aid his injured comrade but Gabe was their again blocking his path.

"Ryu Hadou!" He smashed the Leviathan empowered fist into Joe's chest with a blazing uppercut. Leviathan shot straight up, taking Gabriel and the captive Joe, crashing through the ceiling.

As Allison and company finished off the last of the mechs they became aware of a new, louder rumbling.

"What now?" Robyn shouted as a pillar of flame erupted out of the ground.

Suddenly Gabriel jumped from the hole, holding onto an unknown victim, which he immediately shoved into a nearby wall, his hand pressed against their chest, keeping the mostly unconscious victim up.

"Gabriel!" Gabe smiled when he saw the thankful Allison running toward him. But he raised an eyebrow when she frowned and eyed his pinned hostage. Gabe turned to look at his captive, and finally noticed that his, or rather, _her_ mask, hat and a good measure of her clothes had been burned away.

Gabe suddenly realized where his hand was a released the young red haired girl to slip to the ground.

"How dare you touch her!" Gabe jumped out of the way as the angered Sho rushed straight toward him. He held his injured comrade in his arms while he glared daggers at Gabriel. He looked ready to attack again when suddenly a pool of inky blackness appeared under him.

"Beltza." Sho stated thankfully. "This ain't over Devil Buster."

"It's Gabriel." Gabe merely retorted back. Sho huffed as he faded into the pool.

"Looks like we did a number on this tomb. The reaper's not gonna be happy." Gabe stated to his comrades, which he noticed were giving him strange looks.

"Hypocrite." Daniel said.

"But I…"Gabe attempted to argue.

"So it's bad to gaze upon the lactation organs of females but its okay to touch them?" Robyn said accusingly.

"No better than these two hornballs." Fauna muttered.

Gabe felt an anger mark appear on his forehead at their accusations, but it was quickly extinguished when he felt a murderous presence behind him.

"Gabriel…" Allison said so coldly that Gabriel actually backed away in fear.

"You PERVERT!"

"!"

**Yikes. Long chapter and complicated developments. **

**Gabriel: You're despicable.**

**D: Ain't I a stinker. ;)**

**Preview: Allison's new cold behavior may cause Gabe to spiral back into depression. While Wu, Xeal, and Mint take on the frightful Beltza.**

**But before that a trailer for Despicables D's upcoming project. Next time**

**Please review.**

**I do not own Soul Eater.**


	16. Diablon vs the Black Death

Okay! Hate to keep you guy's waiting, but if we want to get to that movie I got to burn through some chapters.

And…Action!

Diablon Vs. Black Death. I won't bother you any more?

"Hmm." Natsumi pondered over the X-ray, showing a skull with multiple internal fractures. 'This is almost Maka level.' She thought to herself bemusedly.

"Well…normally I would keep a patient in your condition in bed for a month, but, given your vitality, I would say you would be combat ready in at least a few days without strain." She said assuredly to her wounded patient, a mummy in a black blazer.

"Is this really necessary?" The mummy scratched at the gauze that covered his whole head.

"Hey, you're lucky you got off with a head wound, you lousy perv." Fauna growled at him. Gabriel finally ripped away the gauze so he could see and talk normally. "I keep trying to tell you, I wasn't trying anything perverted. When I was fighting her she was wearing a costume. You know with boots and spurs and a hat- AHG!" He was silenced by Hana smacking him atop the head with her hand blade.

"Please stop abusing my patient." Natsumi said, though dryly, apparently entering the conversation on the girl's side.

"We don't need any of your gratuitous details." Sakuya accused.

"I don't know. I'm kinda liking what hearing." Robyn grinned to him self. It was immediately wiped away when all the girls started glaring harsh daggers his way. He backed into a corner and huddled in fear with Leon. "Careful. They smell fear." He said nervously.

While this was taking place, Allison, who before just stood off to one side with her hands in her lap and didn't even look in Gabriel's general direction, finally spoke up."Whatever the case may be. You should keep that on for now. Cause none of us even want to look you." The other girls nodded as one.

Gabriel went rigid at this. Finally after a few seconds of silence, he cast his head down and pulled on his hood as he stood up."I understand." He said flatly. "I'll leave you alone now." The group watched as he exited the infirmary, quietly shutting the door with a creak.

"Harsh." Robyn said sympathetically.

"You all can't seriously be that mad at him." Leon addressed the girls with a bit more courage. He quickly backed down as the daggers came his way.

"Pulling a naïve act when he brought us to that lecher hole. I bet he's a bigger perv than these two put together." Rosa declared angrily.

"Cut the guy some slack. He had the wounds to prove he was fighting, Its not his fault his fist was aimed at the wrong person at the wrong time."Robyn tried to defend his fellow male.

"I bet that's every boy's excuse." Fauna accused back.

"Yikes! What's with all hostility in this room?" Thomas walked into the infirmary at just that moment.

"We're just discussing your little protégé's lecherous habits." Sakuya stated venomously. Thomas blinked, confused.

"Who? You mean Gabe? Lecherous?" To everyone's confusion he started laughing.

"Oh man! You kids crack me up! I don't think that knuckle heads even hit puberty yet!" The group of teenagers mull over this statement in their heads.

"Whoo. Before I die laughing, I came (Giggle) to bring you guys (Phhhht) these old reports on the Bios. Hahahahahaha!" Unable to contain himself he retreated out the door, laughing hysterically down the hall.

"What was that about?" Marie inquired while the group read over the papers.

"Uh…guys? What did Gabe say the name of those two who attacked him was?" Robyn said as he skimmed another report.

"Sho and Joe. I think. Why?" Allison said as she attempted to read over him.

He read out loud so Marie could understand the situation. "_Among the reported members of the Bios, two that truly stand out are the eccentrically dressed Sho Ryuusei, and his mysterious partner, going by the call name "Joe". Little is known about this mysterious figure, due to their refusal to speak openly and the heavy, cowboy garbs they wear. It is not known what race or gender Joe is, due to this lack of communication."_

He copied the group's guilty looks as he finished reading.

"I suppose we didn't allow him to explain himself." Hana said sadly.

"We need to find him and apologize." Daniel stated making his way to the door. He suddenly stopped as when he noticed Natsumi had been staring at the door ever since Gabriel left, her hand covering her mouth in shock.

"Those words." She said causing everyone to lean in for an explanation. "Those are the exact same words he says when he broke it off with all of his old meisters."

Realization suddenly struck everyone as her words sunk in. The door was suddenly swung open as Allison frantically pounded down the hall. Searching for her disheveled team mate.

"If only Wu was here. He and Sora could cover twice as much ground." Rosa said as the rest raced after Allison. But of course, Wu wasn't there. He was on a mission.

Central America, mid afternoon. Rainy conditions.

(BGM: Silent Hill 2 Pyramid Head Fight song)

"Socorro(help)!" A young woman dashed down the rain soaked streets. The sounds of her pursuer's huge killing tool scraping against the road as he slowly lumbered behind her.

She screamed for help once more as she crossed through a deserted alley. Suddenly the scraping sound ended and she breathed a sigh of relief, believing to have lost the demon.

She turned from the alley to run straight into the massive torso of a hulking figure. She shrieked in terror as she looked upon his horrific countenance once more.

He was at least seven feet tall. With arms the size of tree trunks, all meant to heft the massive cleaver like weapon he always dragged behind him. He wore a bloodied sleeveless t-shirt with equally dirtied pants. His feet were bare, showing scabbed, bulbousy pale feet, only a fraction of the decomposing features the rest of his body possessed. His face was covered by the black mask of an executioner, with eyeholes that only showed blazing orange dots and a criss cross stitched smile on the mask where the mouth should be.

He raised the cleaver above his head with one arm, as he backed her against the wall, closing in for the kill. The young woman closed her eyes as she gripped her rosary, praying under her breath. The cleaver came down quickly, leaving her with almost no means of salvation. 'Almost'.

"Jet Step!"

The woman suddenly found herself yanked off her feet by a speeding white blur. She heard a loud screeching sound as the blur's feet slid across the ground in a halting brake.

"Please run. We will take care of this." Wu assured the woman in the best Spanish he could muster. The woman blinked when he said we, then she saw two others already in combat with her undead assailant.

"Gracias senore. Moi gracias!" She shook his hand gratefully before running off to get as far away from the monster as possible.

"If you're done playing hero. We could use some help back here!" Mint called back to him as she smacked one of her sanjiegun's poles into the kishin egg's chest.

"Alright Sora, Let's rock it!"

Hit the music: Believe Yourself by Shinichi Ishihara

_Ugoki-dashite 'ru mirai wo tomerarenai_

_Sono saki no __**possibility**_

_ore-tachi dake no..._

Xeal parried the colossal butchers giant knife as he attempted to push back his enemy with Mint's help, but every hit they landed didn't seem to be able to cause any pain to him as he continued to lunge forward, clumsily swinging his cleaver back and forth as he moved.

"Oryah!" Xeal suddenly felt pressure on his back as Wu used him as a spring board, planting his foot into their opponents face and causing him to fall back.

"Try this!" The wings on Sora's heel started rotating as Wu brought his armored boot up. The wings flew free as Wu swung his foot forward. They arced through the air like boomerangs and cut away the Kishin egg's arms. The useless limbs fell to the ground.

_Dare no tame de naku idomu koto, osorenai_

_Atsuku, naru, karada, kokoro_

_sore ni, tada, shitagau, honnou_

"Well that hardly seemed to do anything." Phoenix stated as the giant continued his slow march towards them, as if it didn't realize it lost both its arms and weapon.

"Then how about something new. Cover me!" He called to his teammates who nodded as he caught both Sora's blades and shifted them to reverse hand, like a pair of long knives.

"Resonance Link!" 

The huge white orb enveloped the trio as they all began resonance.

Mint rushed in first as Lavender went rigid in her hands. Now wielding her partner like a Bo-staff, she pole vaulted over the creature and smashed her staff over his head as she came down. Causing him to stumble further back as she raddled his brains.

"Witch Destroyer!" Xeal rushed forward with Phoenix. He slashed quickly as he zoomed past, taking out the giants feet. It fell down on legs that only ended in stubs.

_Tsuyoku, naru, omoi, negai sore ni,_

_tada, hitori, ugoku_

_Believe yourself Ashita e…!_

The kishin egg only stared as Wu prepared for the finisher. Both blades flared up as a pair of energy wings in his hands. He crossed his arms over his chest as he jumped forward.

"Hissatsu: Cross wing!"

In an instant it was over. The kishin egg's head fell from its shoulders as Wu zoomed past.

"Ha! And they said this mission required a team of three! Me and Sora could have handled this on our own." Wu puffed up his chest arrogantly. Mint sighed. "I suppose this was a waste of time. What did they call this thing again? The 'Generator'?

Xeal eyes widened as he looked past them. "I believe that's "Re-generator"." His friends followed his gaze as they looked upon their struggling, would be victim.

His head had already grown back. A pale white face, so hideously scarred that Wu almost puked, glared at them with angry orange eyes. Its body continued to convulse. Suddenly a new arm, exactly similar to the old, shot out from his shoulder. New feet followed as the Regenerator pulled him self up to stand against them once again. The trio readied their weapons as he retrieved his cleaver. He once again marched his slow steady walk toward them. His face showed a grin hungry for blood.

Suddenly, dark tendrils wrapped around the murderer's legs. He was caught off guard by this new attack and began to hack and slash at the tendrils as they pulled him back into the shadows. More tendrils appeared wrapping around his arms and face as he was slowly pulled in. The group stared on in terror as they heard the sound of his struggles, wondering what could possibly be worse than the murderous creature they were sent here to face.

Just then, the struggling stopped. It was complete silence in the alley way, disturbed only by a quiet gulping sound and then silence once.

Unable to contain himself, Wu vomited as he collapsed to the ground. Sora quickly retook human form to attend to her shooken partner. Lavender was having equal trouble as Mint started shivering from fear. Only Xeal stood his ground. His experience as a half-witch gave him knowledge of many horrors brought on by his race. This one, he has only heard of.

"You aren't afraid?" A quiet voice asked from behind him. Xeal spun back around, bringing his double-volge to bare as he took in the figure that caused so much horror.

It was a teenage boy of about Xeal's own age. He wore strange surgical attire that barely seemed to fit around his skinny frame. His hair was electric blue and his eyes seemed tired. Xeal looked upon the boy with recognition. Another victim of his race.

"You should feel lucky." The boy started as more inky black tendrils milled around him. "I only came here for a meal. If I was sent here as an order by the boss, none of you would be alive." Xeal stepped forward to block his frightened friends from view, gold light radiating from his hands. The tendrils shrunk back as if in fear from his pure light. The boy suddenly stared at him with a look of disdain.

"You should count yourself the luckiest of all, Witch." And with that, he vanished into the shadows.

"What was that?" Lavender asked as Phoenix and Xeal helped Wu and Mint to their feet. Xeal only looked ahead as if still looking for their shadowy foe. He then turned to face her, his face tired looking for his young age.

"That was the ultimate victim of my people. Now he's a plague personified. The Black Death: Beltza Herriotza."

Spooky isn't. In hindsight I probably should have put these last two chapters before "Who are the Bios?" but what can you do?

Please review

I do not own Soul Eater blah blah blah.

Hey and if anyone could guess, the Regenarator is based off the Horror game chaser type enemies that you can't kill once through out the course of the game. In my opinion it's about time someone killed one of these things. Thank you Beltza. ;)


	17. Bonds of Rivalry

Bonds of rivalry. Combi TiSoGa?

"Well I don't know what it is you want me to tell you Wu-kun." Natsumi stated after examining Wu. After Xeal, Mint and he returned from Central America he went straight to her infirmary, demanding that she tell him what was wrong with him. "Now you say, for some reason your body stopped responding to your orders, your legs suddenly gave out on you and you began vomiting. Right?"

"Exactly! This has never happened to me before. Am I losing it doc?" He said rapidly. She looked over his chart again. "Well, other than a wavering in your soul, there doesn't seem to be any physical problem with you." She tried to reassure him.

"My soul then. What's causing it to waver? Maybe that's the problem." He sounded desperate, almost as if he knew what the problem was.

A thought occurred to Natsumi. "Wu-kun. During the mission, did something happen that could have …"unhinged" you?" Her question knocked him back into his seat. "What are you getting at?" He glared at her.

She held up her hands in peace. "All I'm suggesting is that it's not uncommon to experience these symptoms if fear is involved. It's not exactly rare in our line of work."

He angrily pulled his shirt and vest back on and began walking over to the door. "I'm not afraid of anything." He declared.

"Only Kishins and fools can make that claim." She replied back as he slammed the door behind him.

Wu walked back towards the classroom, where Sora, Xeal, Phoenix, Mint and Lavender were waiting for him. He kept his head low and didn't join in the conversation, he was still seething after all. That is, until, Sora called him back to reality.

"Wu-kun! Are you listening to me?" Wu jumped when she suddenly got straight in his face. "Sorry. What is it?" He murmured. She sighed at her partner's lack of an attention span. "I said that Allison-chan just texted me. Gabriel-kun has been missing since yesterday!"

This caught his attention. "Did they check that perv joint he likes to hang around?" Wu asked. Sora shook her head in answer. "They checked all his usual spots. They even asked Tommy-san and Fujiri-sensei where he lives. He wasn't there either."

Wu pondered for second, trying to distinguish his rivals reasoning for going AWOL. "Alright. We better go try and help them find the screwball." He stood up and led the others out of the classroom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Allison seemed frantic as she searched across town for her lost friend. Sakuya hasn't seen her this wound up since there trios first falling out. "Allison-chan, running like a maniac isn't going to help us find him." She tried to reason.

"Agreed." Leon said as he, Hana, Fauna and Rosa panted from exhaustion, barely keeping up with the worried girl.

Allison turned on the group. "How can you all stand it? Gabriel put so much faith in us and we knock him down at the first misunderstanding. I wouldn't be surprised if he hated us." She started sobbing, making the others a bit uncomfortable at her sensitivity for these kind of matters. Sakuya wrapped a comforting arm around her best friend's shoulders. "Don't worry so much. I've studied him closely and what he's said about his old partners. He's never given me any reason to believe he hated them, and I'm sure it's the same for us." She reassured, the others nodding in agreement.

Allison wiped her eyes clean. "You're right." She smiled back to her most trusted friend.

"Plus! We have Mariam and Robyn scouring the town using her soul perception. Surely they'll find them before any of us." Rosa piped in.

The others also conceded to this and began searing with more vigor.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Not 10 yards away. The missing Devil Buster seemed to be watching the group closely from around the side of a nearby building. "What are they muttering about so urgently?" He questioned to no one in particular. His hood was down, so to hide his identity. However, it was easy for some to "see" straight through his disguise.

"They're discussing the whereabouts of a missing comrade who seems to have picked up a nasty hobby of stalking." Gabriel spun around to find Marie and Robyn standing behind him, Marie giving him an amused look.

"We saw the files on the Bios Gabe." Robyn stated from his position against the wall. "Sorry we gave you so much hell, when we didn't even understand the situation."

Gabriel waved it off and continued to watch the street, almost looking for something. "I asked Thomas to bring those down when we got back. I suppose I left before I could properly display my evidence." He said even toned.

"You were upset. You had every right to be." Marie replied. Gabe nodded. "I guess I was upset. But that doesn't change anything." Robyn and Marie looked at him quizzically.

He didn't turn around but he answered their unspoken confusion. "My vow doesn't just apply to Allison. I will protect all of my new comrades, no matter what." He declared evenly.

"Gabe." Robyn sounded almost touched.

"And right now I'm hunting someone else who's been stalking you all." Gabe added.

"Where is he?" Marie inquired.

"Don't know." He answered honestly. "I lost him abit ago. He's either given up the hunt, which I doubt. Or he's decided on a target elsewhere."

"We've searched for hours and still no sign of him." Sora complained as she and Wu took a break in the park, sitting on a park bench underneath a lamp post.

"I was kinda hoping we could get this done before it got dark." Wu peered around nervously. The lamp above them suddenly flickered abit. That short moment of dark caused Wu to cringe. He tried to quickly cover it up, but Sora still noticed.

This hasn't been her partner's first strange act. Many times throughout their search he's tried to duck out of going into dark areas like alleys and abandoned buildings, making some excuse of being lookout incase Gabriel happened to walk by. This new development only reinforced that something was wrong.

"Wu-kun. Why have you been acting so strange lately?" She asked peering up at him. He turned away muttering, "Nothing's wrong. I'd just like to get home already."

Sora didn't look so sure. "Does it have something to do with that "Black Death" person we met in Central America?" Bulls-eye.

"So he got under my skin a bit. It's not like that means I'm scared of him." Wu said, more to himself. "Scared?" Sora questioned. She hadn't said anything about that.

"It's-it's nothing!" He said getting up to leave. "Let's just go home already. We'll pick up the search in the morning." He hurried off, though he seemed to hesitate a moment when he reached the edge of the light. Sora called after him.

"Wu-kun. Wa-!" She was suddenly cut off mid sentence as strong arms wrapped around her and covered her mouth.

Wu looked toward the source of his partner's voice and saw nothing. "Sora? Oi Sora!" He called her frantically, not leaving the lighted area. He suddenly became aware of mocking chuckle. A familiar chuckle.

"Afraid of the dark are we, wretch?"

"Richards!" Wu recognized that irritating voice anywhere. "What did you do with Sora you bastard!"

"She's right here with me. Come and get her if you have the guts." It was pitch black in the park outside of Wu's small light source. "Why don't you show yourself?" Wu challenged back. Again that irritating chuckle

"But it's some much more fun to see you squirm from the edges of your tiny sanctuary. How about I help you come out to me."

Bam!

The park was completely covered in darkness after Duncan destroyed the lamp post. Wu nervously peered into the darkness, not moving even an inch from his spot.

"Hahahaha! What? Do I have to come to you as well? So be it!" The breathe was suddenly knocked out him as an unseen fist smashed into his stomach.

"Wu-kun, just run! You can't fight him if you can't see him!" Sora's voice called to him from the shadows. He didn't move. It wasn't just that he couldn't leave Sora behind, he was just to petrified to run. He jumped at tendrils of shadow that just weren't there. He imagined The Black Death's slow raspy breathing crawling down his spine. He couldn't deny it any more. He was scared. And Sora would pay for his cowardice.

"Come on and fight seriously, you wimp! You too chicken to continue?"

Those words! He remembered those words from years ago and the rival he said them to.

(Flash back: Two years prior)

"_Come on and fight seriously, you wimp!" Wu had said from his position, bruised, on the ground. His opponent peered down at him. His demonic arm stuffed into a pocket as he tried to leave._

"_You too chicken to continue?" Wu worked himself back up to vertical level and gave his opponent a cocky look._

"_You're the one who keeps getting beat. I should be saying that to you." The sandy blond headed boy shot back._

"_Ha! I'm having too much fun to be scared. Besides if I even take one step back from a fight I'll regret forever." He jumped forward in a flying side kick. His opponent's burning hand racing to meet him._

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"It ends now, wretch!" Duncan charged toward his enemies exposed back, moving in for the kill.

Suddenly Wu swung around in a counter round house kick, catching Duncan in the side of the head.

"I'm disappointed in my self. I've taken so many steps back, I'll probably regret it for several forevers." He swiped his thumb under his nose and took his Xiao-lin stance. His cocky grin showing his expectation.

"Fluorescent arrow: Dawn Jay!" The park was suddenly awash with light, finally revealing Wu's opponent to him.

"Wu-kun!" Sora rushed into Wu's waiting arms. "Thank goodness!" She said.

"This should make this easier." Gabriel suddenly appeared beside Wu, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Where the hell have you been?" Wu asked his rival who gave him an amused smile. "I've been nearby. I got to admit. I was a little dismayed to have discovered my so called rival having become a simpering coward."

"That's it! Once this over, I'm kicking your ass." Wu threatened. "Sora!" He called to his partner.

"Ehm! The birth of the strongest combo! Let's rock it!" She said happily as she took weapon form. Gabriel brought his arms up in his kempo stance as Duncan charged toward them, his hands practically glowing with hate.

"I will send you all to God's kingdom. Laws abiding silver shot gun!" His fist pumped rapidly as he sent white energy blast sailing at his hated enemies. Gabriel however countered.

"Ifrit Grenade!" He smashed his burning fist into the ground, sending a firey shockwave to collide with the blast. A massive explosion formed as the two attacks cancelled each other out. Duncan peered through the smoke and dust, readying himself for another attack.

Wu suddenly burst through the smoke, smashing his fist into Duncan's chin and comboing the assault with an elbow strike to the chest. Wu jumped over Duncan and kicked him on the back of the head as he landed, causing Duncan to stumble forward, where Gabe waited.

Gabriel grasped the mad priest about the torso and hefted him on to his shoulders. "Hope you remember this." He started turning on the balls of his feet, his body a blur as he reached maximum velocity. "Round and round he goes. Where he stops? Who cares!" He let go, sending Duncan spiraling upward into the air.

"Gabe! Hissatsu!" Gabe spotted Wu running toward him. He nodded understandingly. He brought up his demonic arm as Wu jumped, landing on it.

"Hissatsu TiSoGa…" He pulled back and shot forward, sending Wu flying to the surprised Duncan. Wu flipped, positioning himself for side kick.

"Stair…" His leg pumped rapidly, smashing a barrage of kicks into Duncan. He wasn't done yet.

"…Way.." He spun around in a round house kick, knocking Duncan up even higher.

"To Heaven!" he finished his assault with a split legged kick into Duncan's face. The kick sent the priest flying off into the distance, where he will likely recover and return to plague their lives once more.

Wu landed lightly beside Gabe. The two stared at each other silently, until Wu offered his fist up. Gabe hesitated a second, but finally complied as the two knocked wrist. Sora clapped happily at the two's display causing both of them to back off embarrassedly.

"Gabriel!" The trio turned to see Allison and the rest of Team Diablon coming to meet them. "We saw Mariam's fire works display from across town. Wasn't hard to figure out you were around here." Phoenix said.

"Well you guys are too late for the show. You should have seen Gabe and me mop the floor with Richards." He said, his old arrogance returning. He reached over to lean his elbow on Gabe's shoulder, but all he found was open air.

Gabriel had pulled his hood back on was walking away again, to the groups dismay. "Wait. Where are you going?" Sakuya asked after the group had caught up and blocked him from leaving.

He didn't look at them but said, "You all said that you didn't want to see my face. So I'm doing as you asked. Can't make it any easier than just leaving you all alone."

"But you haven't left any of us alone." Marie argued. She continued despite his protest, "This whole time we've been looking for him he's been watching us from the shadows. He has it in his head that he can still fight by our side even if we can't see him." The group looked to Gabe for confirmation. He merely put his hands in his pockets and looked away.

"Well that's…" Hana started.

"Idiotic!" Allison cut in. The others looked at her in shock only to be met by her angry glare which caused Gabriel to flinch.

"I think we better clear out and leave this matter in her hands." Daniel insisted as he and the others backed out to the other edge of the park.

Gabriel and Allison were left alone now, she still glaring at him, and he standing back warelly as if she were a bomb.

The silence was finally ended when Gabriel sighed and used his hands to gesture to her to get it over with. She complied and marched over to him determinedly, her hand pulling up her sleeve as if she were getting ready to punch him. He closed his eyes for the inevitable.

However all he felt was a stinging pull of his cheek. He opened his eyes to find Allison reaching up to his face and pulling the side of his face painfully.

"Ow." He said as she pulled tighter. "What are you doing?"

"This is your punishment for being stupid." She said. "Don't look down on me. Thinking I would stop being friends with you just because of one misunderstanding. Also, I don't know where you get it in your head that these lone wolf tendencies are okay. If you have the guts to call yourself my teammate then fight by my side. Don't protect me by going around behind my back." She finished. Her anger spent, she only stood their tugging on his cheek, waiting for his reply.

To her surprise he caught her cheek in his own pinch, and pulled. "I understand completely." He said with an amused grin. "From now on I'll be completely straight forward with you. For starters…" he began getting her attention.

He tugged on her cheek harder. "I don't like getting my cheek pinched."

Allison smiled and started laughing. She released his cheek and wrapped her arms around him. Glad that their second fight ended so well.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What the hell did you to do to each other?" Wu inquired as Gabe and Allison rejoined the group at the park entrance. Both of them had swollen cheeks.

"This." Gabe said and grabbed both of Wu's cheeks and pulled. "This is actually kinda funny." He chuckled.

An anger mark formed on Wu brow. "Remember when I said I was gonna kick your ass." His karate chop came down before Gabe could react. He knocked him on the head, causing a spray of blood to pour from his nose and mouth.

The group moved in horror as he stumbled around, almost dizzy. He uttered a single "meep." And fell back as his eyes rolled into his head.

The group surrounded the unconscious Gabriel with concern and then looked to Wu. He looked back and forth between his stunned rival and hand that dealt the blow. "Does this count as me finally beating him?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oh dear." Natsumi rubbed her eyes as she studied the stunned Devil Buster.

"I told them he needed at least a week to recover."

Okay! Burning through chapters. And heading towards the movie.

Preview: Malus wishes to test Akira's strength. Can the young Bio hold out against this frightful opponent?

I do not own Soul Eater.

Later!


	18. A day of training

A day of training. Malus' master plan?

**Shibusen practice Dojo**

_Thwack! Pow! Bang!_

"_Toh!"_

"Ahg! Dammit!" The noise was constant that morning in the dojo. This was due to the presence of the rowdy Team Diablon, who reserved the dojo that morning.

In the middle of the room two figures stood, both in kendo training gear and wielding bokuto swords. The taller of the two ripped his face mask away and began massaging his pummeled, brown haired scalp.

"Why do they always go for the head?" Robyn complained as his opponent, Hana, removed her own mask and giggled at her victims comment, after all she got in nothing but head shots.

"A fantastic display." Leon applauded as he handed the two tired combatants bottles of water.

"Why I am this girl's practice dummy again? I don't even fight with a sword!" Robyn complained further.

"You were the one who kept complaining that you were bored. This was the only way to shut you up." Phoenix responded as he, Fauna and Rosa joined them.

"Well as much as I like to watch Gabe be worked under Drill Seargeant Muramasa, I'd rather be more active if I got to be stuck in gym all day."

As if on cue, a shrill voice and loud smack resounded from across the room.

"Wrong! Muramasa Chop!"

"Ahg!" Gabe's head was beginning to swell up under the constant chops by his instructor's punishments.

"You broke your stance again! If you can't do it right you'll never pull off the _Ho-oh Hou." _She chided.

"All I wanted was to learn a few techniques. Not the whole curriculum." Gabe shot back, an anger mark forming on his brow. "Why can't Allison teach me?"

"Because between the two of us who trained in Muramasa Ryu, I was the superior student when it came to bushido. If you wanted to learn Muramasa school Phoenix fist, you should have gone to her with Wu and the others." Sakuya answered, her hands on her hips.

Gabriel didn't argue further. He was the one who came to her after all for training in swordsmanship. He felt that eventually, just relying on Allison's reflexive memories wouldn't be enough for when they fought together. He didn't need training in the martial arts since hand to hand combat was already his specialty. Still, working up close with Allison didn't sound 'unappealing' to him.

He shook the thought away when he suddenly found Sakuya's blade pointed at his nose.

"Now stand up. We won't stop until you get it right." Sakuya also had her own hidden agenda. She had it in her head that the Devil Buster only wanted to learn bushido so he could be alone with her best friend. Well Sakuya-oneechan would not stand for that. And thus her sadistic plan to "work him to death until he went crying home to mommy" began.

Sakuya's own thoughts were pulled back to reality when Gabe impetuously shoved away her blade and looked down at her from his superior stature.

"Alright." He sighed finally.

"Eh?" Sakuya asked, not understanding.

"You think I need to learn the forms. I can't seem to focus long enough to apply them. So how about a deal." He said confidently.

"I'm listening." Sakuya said, turning her ear to him.

He proposed his offer. "If I can pull off the Phoenix Cannon my way, then we resume training my way as well. If I lose: I give up on learning Muramasa Ryu and I concede that you are the superior martial artist." He finished waiting for her response.

The gears in Sakuya's head started spinning. And a more appealing prize just popped into her head.

"Agreed, but on one condition." She said putting up her finger. "If you lose: you never pull a stunt, like you did after we got back from Osaka, again. Deal?"

"Deal." Gabriel said without missing a beat.

"Oooh. This could be interesting." Marie commented as she listened in.

Sakuya smiled confidently. "Allison-chan!"

"Eh?" Allison was in the middle of sparring with Wu and Xeal. She wore a normal white karate gi, with her black belt wrapped proudly around her waist.

"Could you come over here for a second?" Sakuya called, waving her over.

"One second." The distraction caused her to drop her flowing arm like form, a mistake her opponents took immediate advantage of.

"An opening!" Wu jumped forward with a flying kick. Xeal followed not far behind with a flying punch.

Allison suddenly spied both from the corner her eye. "That won't work." She commented. She immediately cartwheeled into a hand stand and began rotating with both legs out.

"Muramasa Ryu hissatsu waza: Kaze no Ho-oh (Winds of the phoenix)" The two boys crashed into the break dance like technique, and were immediately sent flying back. They crashed into the far wall, making Wu and Xeal shaped imprints.

"This ain't right." Wu said as he slid to the ground defeated. Sora sweatdropped as she rushed to help up her bruised friend.

"You okay bro.?" Phoenix said as offered Xeal his hand.

"I think I'll stick to sword play from now on." He said, both his body and pride.

"I'm here." Allison said as she jogged over to join Gabriel and Sakuya. Sakuya quickly explained their wager, minus Sakuya's demand.

"Are you sure about this Gabriel?" Allison asked. He seemed to be the only one with something to lose and more likely to lose it.

Gabe pulled off his blazer and tossed it away. "Right about now, that old weirdo would probably say something like "Well done men don't back down!" or something like that." He said shrugging.

"Well first a demonstration of a Ho-oh Hou done properly." Sakuya disappeared in a gust of sakura petals and reappeared in Allison's grasp.

Allison planted her feet in the proper stance and pointed Sakuya back behind her. Her target was a trio of scarecrow like practice dummies.

"Ho-oh Hou!" Allison let loose, swinging her blade in a horizontal slash, sending the crescent shaped slash blast speeding across the room. The torsos of the three scarecrows flew into the air and crashed into the ground, their lower halfs completely undisturbed.

"Excellent, as always Allison-chan." Sakuya retook human form and proudly put her hands on her hips as the others applauded their work.

"Wow! If I blinked I would have missed everything." Sora commented clapping.

"Very impressive technique." Daniel added.

Allison blushed, scratching the back of her head. "Your turn Gabriel." She said as Gabe took his place in front of a new trio of scare crows.

He kicked up a nearby bokuto into his open hand and rested it against his shoulder. He then extended his demonic arm and summoned his energy blade, Longinus, to his wrist.

"What's he up to?" Robyn asked out loud. Everyone just shrugged, confused at his actions.

He rested his demonic arm against his side and started winding up his bokuto wielding hand. Energy began building around the blade like a red aura.

He then took a step forward and swung out with the bokuto in a horizontal slash. "Ho-oh Hou!" The slash blast he generated was meager compared to Allison's. Sakuya started laughing as her victory was assured.

Gabe suddenly took one more step forward and swung out with Longinus in a vertical slash sending a second one sailing into the first. The two blast converged together and combined into an even larger crescent. The huge crescent soared across the room at its intended targets until…

**In an unknown location.**

Akira stood ready. His mind focused and his finger steady on the trigger. His hand was gripped around a double barreled revolver with a large, trapezoidal axe head on the butt of the handle. He was poised, ready, and then…

Six men shaped cutouts erupted from the concrete floor in front of him. Just as they reared their heads his hand was already in motion.

_Pow pow pow pow pow pow!_

In the blink of an eye, it was over. All six cutouts had bullets holes between their eyes. Six kill shots in less than a second.

Akira grinned as he spun the revolver around on his finger.

"You've recovered nicely Joe. That was our fastest time yet." The revolver glowed yellow and Akira released it from his finger. The ever silent Joe landed lightly on her feet as she retook human form. She tipped her hat to Akira, a form of her own compliments.

All around the concrete facility the other Bios were busy polishing their own skills and marveling at each others improvements.

"Ha!" Sho slammed his fist down, shattering the small column of bricks at his feet.

"That was amazing Sho-Kun! You shattered ten bricks in one hit!" Hikari Mori congratulated him. Sho wiped the brick dust from his fist and flexed his tired muscles. He then jumped when a water bottle suddenly floated in front of his face. He grabbed the bottle and shot a thumbs up to Beltza, as thanks for the drink. Beltza didn't respond. He only went back to working with the clouds of black blood that floated around him. His favorite form of practice, manipulating the black blood into any kind of shape he wished and controlling many to do so at once.

Akira and Joe joined their comrades to watch Beltza's display. "This is good." Akira said drawing the others attention. "If we keep improving like this we'll be unstoppable. And we owe all to Mori-sama." He said.

Hikari nodded happily. Sho responded with hearty "Osu!". Joe said nothing but internally agreed.

"So confidant."

A dark voice from the other end of the room drew Beltza from his concentration. The clouds of black blood dissipated and vanished. The group turned to see the familiar hooded figure walking toward them, his hands behind his back and his chin arrogantly held high.

"Malus-sama." Hikari backed away and hid behind Akira. Many in Mori's organization found the mysterious son of their benefactor very unnerving, and she was no different.

"You all are so proud of your so meager tricks. What goal could those "skills" accomplish." The cloaked youth asked.

Akira had to block Sho from trying to attack the disrespectful Malus. They didn't need to cause any trouble with his witch mother.

"Our mission is to protect Mori-Sama's investments and to prove our superiority to Shibusen." Akira responded calmly.

Malus chuckled. "Yes, very good work on that last one. I'm sure the Devil Buster must feel very inferior after wiping the floor with all of you."

Now Akira started to get angry as he was reminded of what his rival has done to him and his friends.

"Even if we're knocked down a dozen times. We'll still get up and get stronger. That's what humans do." Akira shot back. He felt his comrade's support completely behind him. But what Malus did next disturbed him abit. He started laughing.

"Humans?" The cloaked boy was practically bent over with laughter. "The only ones in this little freak show who can at least say they were human are the walking germ over there and you, Toya." Malus said, still stifling giggles.

"Yes. I read up on all of you." He continued. "For instance… You three." He said pointing at Sho, Jo, and Hikari. "Test tube brats mutated by Mori to become weapons the likes of which no one has ever seen before. It's laughable that you even qualify your selves as any thing but abominations." He stated laughing again harder than ever. But was quickly silenced when an armored and obsidian fist smashed into his chest, causing him to skid back.

He wiped the blood from his mouth and sneered at the approaching Beltza and Akira.

"You've said what you thought of us." Akira said, bringing out his sparking electric stinger.

"Now let us show you what we think of you." Beltza said summoning more black blood to his other fist, now giving him two obsidian gauntlets. He smashed them together expectantly.

The malicious Malus merely scowled and brought his black gloved hand to the side. Mist suddenly swirled around his hand as a pure crystal like substance began to form in his grip.

He gave his newly formed, crystalline great sword an experimental one handed swing.

"You had best be very sure."

Okay to be continued. I know I promised you a fight this week, but for some reason I have just no will power to write. So until next time.

I do not own blah blah or blah blah blah.

Please review and send in Ocs.


	19. Bios Vs Malus

Bios Vs. Malus. Malus' master plan? (Part 2)

Malus gave his newly formed great sword an experimental one handed swing, sending a blast of cold air toward his wary foes. The group blocked their faces from the wind with their arms, which immediately became covered in snow and frost.

Malus planted the sword in the ground by his side. He noticed his display had not unnerved them, he grinned beneath his hood, he had hoped as much.

"You had best be very sure." He sneered.

Akira threw his hands out behind him. "Hikari. Joe. Let's go you two!" The girls nodded. They jumped toward his out stretched hands, taking weapon form as they reached him. Akira brought the revolver and lightsaber to bare, crossed in front of him.

"Your insults will cost you dearly." Sho declared, his wrist buzz saws roaring. Beltza was the first to go on the offensive. He charged the cocky witch angrily, he had tried to keep his hatred in check ever since they formed their covenant with the witch Plaguea and her cruel son, but now all restraint was gone.

His armored fist struck forward, faster than the eye could see. And just as fast was Malus' great sword brought up to block him.

"What!" He exclaimed. No one could have possibly lifted a weapon of that size so fast. Especially not one handed.

Malus grinned. He parried Beltza's next punch and came back across with a diagonal slash aimed for the boy's chest. Beltza barely got his arms up to block. He skidded backward several feet before he was caught by Sho.

"Hey don't take all the fun for yourself." Sho chuckled expectantly. "He insulted us after all. We deserve the majority of his ass to kick." He set his winded friend back on his feet and charged forward, his buzz saws leading.

"Oh. Are you next line to be chopped up by my Fenrir?" Malus mocked, referring to his blade. His grinned faded when Akira suddenly appeared beside him, with Joe at Malus' head. "Nope. He's just the distraction."

"Take this! Tetsu Ryu Dan!" Sho came at Malus with a flying cross slash, his blades glowing red. Malus knew that even if he blocked the oncoming Sho, he might not be so lucky with a revolver shot to the brain. His only possible counter: take them both out at once.

"Raging Tundra!" He quickly spun in a 360 degree slash, sending up an even mightier gust of icy wind all around him, and flinging the two Bios back. Desperate for a hit, Akira shot blind into the gust.

The wind finally died down, revealing an unharmed Malus grinning at them arrogantly. He suddenly lost his grin when a black mist began to form around him. He swung at it, trying to disperse the inky cloud that crowded him.

"Cutting it is only going to make it worse." A raspy voice said behind him. Malus turned around to witness a now levitating Beltza floating toward him. Or maybe, in a sense, he wasn't there. He was constantly becoming corporeal and then solid again.

"Black Blood: Airborne Virus form." He clarified. Malus continued to struggle against the black substance that continued to press upon him. Beltza brought his hands up; the Black Blood rose, following his gestures, and then he brought his hands together. The inky cloud quickly began to cover Malus from head to toe. Covering him in a layer of immediately solidifying Black Blood.

"Bloody Jacket." Beltza murmured quietly, retaking his Carrier form. Sho and Akira rushed to admire his handy work. Joe and Hikari, believing the battle to be over, retook human form.

"Well that was a disappointment. Thanks for getting greedy Beltza." Sho complained. Joe smacked them both on the back of the head, muttering "Over did it."

"Joe-chan's right." Hikari answered their confused stares. "If Plaguea-sama finds out what we did to her son, it will be Otou-san who suffers for it." She looked panicky.

"Oh don't stop on our accounts." An amused voice called from the other end of the room. The group turned startled toward the exit, where the witch Plaguea, and a mortified looking Mori, stood witness to the scene.

"Plaguea-sama! Mori-sama! This is… well. Please forgive us!" Akira sputtered, dropping his head to the floor rapidly. Mori rubbed his eyes in exasperation. Truthfully, he was impressed that his young wards had been able to trap the hated Malus so skillfully. But still, these types of situations were not good for business.

"Plaguea-sama-" He started before the witch cut him off with an upraised hand. She eyed the black statue that was her son's prison with bemusement.

"Have you had your fill of this skirmish yet, son?" She asked the black mass. A stifled chuckle suddenly filled the air, which was suddenly filled with a chill strong enough to cause even the ever composed Joe to shiver.

"I suppose I should end this, shouldn't I?" The Bios whirled around to stare at their foe's prison which suddenly had ice covering it and the floor around it. Fissures began to spread across the black shell, as its hostage began to struggle free.

_Shatter!_

The Bios gazed upon their newly freed foe. He had easily escaped Beltza's Bloody Jacket, the evidence surrounding him in piles of frozen Black Blood. His hood had slipped down revealing slicked back golden hair, penetrating red eyes and his face?

"You!" Akira charged in fury, his metal hand's stinger fully extended as he rushed forward. Malus simply lifted one of his black gloved hands to catch the oncoming fist. The blade slid through into his targets hand, causing strange bluish blood to stream out, but to his dismay Malus only sneered back him, even as the electricity ran through his hand and across his arm, causing the fabric the burn away.

His glove and sleeve burned away, Malus' arm was revealed for all to see. It had the appearance of human skin but it was a deathly white, with gold lines criss-crossing across it. At the wrist it had strange feather like attachments that seemed to flutter, life like, in the breeze.

"Do you hate this face so much, Toya?" Malus asked the stunned Akira. "That's good. That hatred taste so delicious."

Akira felt a chill in the pit of his stomach that ran up his arm. Malus grinned expectantly, and tightened his unholy grip around Akira's prostetic arm.

"Sub-Zero Bite!" With that the cold chill suddenly enveloped Akira's arm. Icicles sprouted from it causing the metal to crack and shatter. Akira backed away his arm lost again, now held in front of his face by the cruel Malus. Despite everything Akira still had the energy to glare hatefully up at the sneering witch.

"I like that look. How wonderful it would be if that hate was channeled properly." Malus inquired to himself.

"Get away from him!" Malus turned to the sound of pounding feet. He was just in time to lift up Fenrir to block Hikari and Joe's kicks. Hikari's energy heel blade and Joe's axe skates not even cutting into the icy blade.

"Damn you!" Malus quickly looked back to see Sho charging him with his Buzz saws glowing once more, and Beltza, having combined both his arms into a black scimitar like blade, attacking from the other side. Malus knew he couldn't hold this position so he quickly knocked Hikari and Joe back and jumped away. Their attacks having failed, Sho, Hikari, and Joe gave chase, while Akira quickly grabbed Beltza by the hand with his good arm.

"Bel, I need a weapon." He kept his face down, but Beltza could tell that all cockiness had left his voice, only clear determination to keep fighting. Beltza shook his hand away. "You don't know how dangerous that could be. If any of my Black Blood enters your system it could drive you mad, or worse. We can't even be sure I can properly resonate with a meister."

Akira rose to his feet and looked Beltza dead on in the eyes. The sickly teen was stunned how cold his friend's eyes suddenly were. But it was quickly replaced by that willful warmth he came to respect.

"Do you trust me Bel?" He said simply. "I trust my life to you completely. Now trust me to be able to live through anything you can throw at me."

Beltza hesitated for a few seconds. Aware of his previous powerlessness against the vicious Malus and the sound of his other comrades still fighting on. He knew he still had options, but with his friends and home so near, could he risk taking 'those' drastic options?

"I hope you know what you're doing."

He began to shimmer and became corporeal again, summoning a new cloud of Black mist to surround him and Akira. He began to fade into it, becoming one with the Black Blood that made up his whole body. The black cloud pressed around Akira covering his body with a layer of solid black blood, similar to what Malus was trapped in earlier. But this shell was no cocoon, it was armor.

Malus had Hikari by the throat. He relished the sound of her choked breaths fading away. Just as he was preparing to deliver the death blow with Fenrir, he was knocked away by a blast of inky blackness, moving him away from the freed Hikari who coughed as she tried to retake in air.

Malus propped himself up to glare at his new attacker. He grinned when he recognized the hateful wave length that came from this hulking beast.

Akira took a heavy step forward toward his intended victim. Beltza's armor caused him to feel indestructible, as if he were made of solid titanium. The armor had a muscular and demonic theme. It was a pale onyx color, with spikes on the shoulders, clawed toes on his feet and even longer, sharper blades as his fingers. His face was left uncovered, revealing his rage plain on his face.

Malus chuckled. "Come get me. I'll even use both hands."

Akira accepted his challenge, charging forward like a mad beast. Malus swung Fenrir forward with a two handed slash, as promised. Akira met the oncoming attack with an upper hand claw strike. The attacks clashed, sending up a blast of air that knocked the other combatants back.

As the two struggled for control Malus became aware that he was beginning to lose ground. 'Incredible! His physical strength can out match even my own. '

"Akira that is enough!" Mori called from the other end of the room, worry replacing mortification on his face. "Beltza! End the resonance quickly!" Neither heard him as the struggled continued for what felt like minutes.

"I thank you for this most amusing skirmish. But now it must end." Malus quickly stepped back, breaking the two's fight for control. Akira quickly charged after him but was met with Fenrir slashing him across the chest. Malus gained the upper hand quickly, smashing the frozen blade against Akira's armor, scraping away pieces of Black Blood little by little.

Akira was forced to step back. He panted, knowing he didn't have long before Beltza's side effects kicked in. He needed to end this in one last attack. He growled as a green sphere enveloped him, setting off the black blood that was his armor and causing many tiny tendrils to sprout from his onyx body.

"Bloody… Overload!" The tendrils all suddenly shot forward in a wave of blackness, ready to engulf and devour anything in its path. Malus didn't back down, bringing his great sword up to hack down any that came near him. He never got the chance.

The tendrils suddenly ceased their rapid charge, mere feet away from him. The black blood crashed to the floor, lifeless. Akira began yelling out in pain, clawing at his chest. The armor shivered and then dispersed, reappearing as a panting and wheezing Beltza. No longer supported by the Black armor, Akira collapsed. He continued to call out in pain as his skin began to turn a disturbing pale and his veins shown black against it.

"Aki-kun! Bel-Kun!" Hikari and the others rushed over to their collapsed friends. Hikari cradled Akira's head in her lap as Sho and Joe helped Beltza to his feet. He tried to say that Akira needed more urgent attention, but he began to choke and to their horror coughed up blood.

"You two take Beltza to the infirmary and get his medication." Mori commanded. The two nodded and ran off, the wheezing Beltza in tow. Mori walked over to his daughter and the dying Akira. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder as she looked up at him with eyes full of tears."We'll do everything we can for him."

As this was happening Malus had rejoined his mother at the other end of the room.

"You may have just caused our relationship with them to be further strained." Plaguea commented to her cruel son. He just chuckled. "All I've done is taught them how easily puppets like them can be tossed aside." 'Besides' He thought to himself. 'One of them could prove useful.'

**Shibusen**

"Muramasa's the one who goaded him into it. Why can't she be the only to go help fix the wall?" Phoenix complained as the majority of Team Diablon began walking back to the Dojo. As it turned out, not only did Gabriel's Phoenix Cannon decimate the three targets but also the wall behind it. Feeling responsible, he volunteered to fix up the wall by himself. Though after much debate Allison had talked the group into returning to help out and do their part.

"It's a little something called courtesy. But I suppose an oaf like you wouldn't even have that word in their vocabulary." Rosa spat back at Phoenix.

"Whatever pygmy." Phoenix remarked back. Rewarding him with one of Rosa's patented shin kicks. He cursed and hopped around as he gripped his injured leg. Xeal sighed at his partners lack of tact. 'Always so popular with the ladies.' He thought sarcastically.

"Gabriel! Were here to help fix the do-." Allison stopped when they entered the deserted dojo. In the far corner where they had left their busy friend, was a patch job wood board barrier in the wall. It wouldn't win any awards on attractiveness, but they supposed it could atleast keep out the rain. A note was nailed into the wall, most likely left by their absent comrade. The group crowded around as Allison read.

"Finished early. Thomas got a tip off on one of Mori's nearby work stations. Be back tomorrow night. –Gabriel."

"That guy never stops working." Robyn commented as the group left the dojo.

"Do you think they'll be alright?" Sora asked. Wu chuckled.

"I'm sure Gabe will be fine. It's Gunn I'm worried about. Guy's his age need to retire."

"Isn't he only in his late thirties?" Marie asked. She suddenly became aware of a shudder coming from the person beside her.

"What's wrong Allison? She asked as another shiver overtook her friends frame.

"I don't know I just feel so cold for some reason."

Bum Bum Bum!

If you have predictions, please keep them to yourself you'll spoil the moment.

I want to make an apology to Aldous for going over his head in many of the details regarding Beltza. But you didn't give me as much to work with considering my way of righting action scenes.

Please review and send in ocs.


	20. Of Fathers and Sons

Of Fathers and Sons. Malus' Master Plan? (Part 3)

*Warning alcohol based content*

Two figures stood watch in front of the warehouse that was Thomas' target. He crept around the corner of a nearby building, just within earshot of the two muttering amongst each other.

"Damn it! Ever since the Boss started doing business with that witch, our organization's become freak central." One of the two complained. Thomas' interest was peaked when heard "Witch". 'Looks like Mori's started shacking up with less than appropriate partners.' He thought mischeviously.

"Best keep your opinions to yourself. Word is that Dr… House was it?" The other asked. "Hausen." The other corrected.

"Right, anyway from what I hear the guys pretty unstable. Likes to use slackers and loose lips as his experimental subjects." The two shuddered at the thought.

'Heh. Now that sounds familiar.' Thomas chuckled again, but then stifled it. They didn't need any noise. Not yet.

A rapping sound could be heard from the far corner of the warehouse opposite Thomas.

"You hear that?" One of the two asked, raising his gun in the direction of the noise.

"Yeah. Wait here I'll check it out." The other ordered, making his way to the alleyway the rapping originated from. Bingo

The guard slowly made his way toward the alley, slowly. Until he was violently pulled in by the collar, his weapon tossed aside. The sound of struggle could heard across the street. Loud struggle.

_Pow! Smack!_

"Ahhg! Hey Help!"

_Smack! Smack! Clang!_

"Ow! The f&%k did I do to you!"

"Why. Won't. You. Shut up!"

Thomas rubbed his hand over his face, exasperated. This was not going according to plan. The other guard was starting to get fidgety. Apparently not sure whether to go help or call for back up. They couldn't have that.

Thomas brought his hand around the corner, aimed at the remaining guard. In a flash of white light his hand turned into an ammo drum while his index finger became a gun barrel.

"Nap time pal." Thomas muttered. A single bang went off. The guard fell to the ground. Thomas walked over toward the stunned guard. His pulse was still even. Lucky that Thomas used non lethal shots. Thomas turned to the sound of scraping. Gabriel appeared around the corner of the warehouse, his bruised and finally unconscious victim in tow.

"This guy's got a skull like a steel plate." Gabe commented, showing the dented metal pipe he used to knock the guy out.

"That's more than I can say for you. We're lucky you didn't alert the whole town." Thomas chastised. "Pretty raw work kiddo."

"Sorry. I've been a little off my game lately." Gabriel answered.

Thomas sighed and ruffled the younger weapons hair. "Forget it. Never was a big fan of stealth." Thomas smiled fatherly.

"A touching display." They both turned to the sound of a very raggedy sounding voice. The warehouse doors were now open, revealing a line of over a dozen armed guards and in the middle of them, a skinny man in a doctor's coat. His hair was a dark gray, his skin practically matched, making him look almost like a zombie.

"Mori was worried that we'd have rats running around here at some point. He'll be thankful to know that his worries can be put to rest." The raggedy scientist said confidently as Thomas and Gabriel were brought into the warehouse at gun point. "Where are my manners?" He added last minute. "I am the great Doctor Hausen. Welcome gentlemen." He mocked bowed, and began laughing hysterically.

'Great a mad scientist type. Those are always fun.' Thomas thought sarcastically. "So what's the verdict doc? You gonna try turning us into flies or something? Ooh how about feeding Gabe here to a sea monster." Thomas joked. Gabe however was not amused, stamping down on Thomas' boot.

The mad doctor simply chuckled, as if he was the only one to know the punch line of a good joke. "No, nothing like the former. But you bring up a good point with that last one my dear boy." He snapped, a guard began shoving Gabriel to the middle of the warehouse, where a giant cage waited. It was sparking as if electricity was running through it.

"My latest creation hasn't hunted in some time and I'd hate to pass up the chance to have him enjoy himself." The doctor pulled a remote control from his lab coat and hit a series of buttons. Immediately the sparking ceased on the cage and the door began rising, revealing a bulgy, squirming shape that began shifting as light streamed on it.

"Say hello to my newest creation dear boy. Verns, say hello to lunch."

The hideous creature, Verns, pulled it self from the giant cage, giving Thomas and Gabe a full view of its hideousness. Its body was at least 25 feet tall. It was covered in leathery, brown skin. Its arms bulged with primal muscle, ending in sharp claws. Its huge feet were three toed gigantic trunks and its head? It was reptilian in appearance with a snaking neck that added another 35 feet to the creature's already great height.

Gabriel peered up at the colossal beast that was to be his executioner. He showed, as always, neither fear nor worry. He flung off his blazer and tossed it to the side, just as a colossal foot came down upon him.

"Keeheehee! Ah over already. I hope Verns likes his food pancaked." The mad doctor cackled hysterically. Thomas remained stoic though, gripping his hands tighter in helplessness.

"You ever clean under here?" The group of onlookers watched in amazement as the reptilian giant's foot was tossed aside like an old plaything, Gabriel remaining where he stood, cracking his neck as he glared up at the doctor and guards who held his friend hostage. The guards began to back away fearfully. Taking the opportunity, Thomas brought out his gun again, shooting out a spray of non-lethal shots on the unnerved guards.

Hausen gaped at how quickly his security was knocked out, his surprise was quickly wiped away by a sneer. He poised his finger over the remote again as Thomas walked toward him. "One more step and I make this whole building blow to kingdom come." Thomas glared at the mad scientist, but he lowered his gun in seeming defeat.

The doctor chuckled as his fingered lowered, then-

_Pow!_

Thomas rushed forward. Smashing the doctor in the side of the head with round house kick that sent him flying. Thomas spun on the balls of his feet as his rotation ended. He lowered the end of his fedora and smoothly caught the falling remote.

"My ends covered. Gabe?" He called to his younger partner who was struggling with his much bigger foe. His arms and legs were out spread eagle as he attempted to keep both the creature's hands and jaws from crushing him.

"A little busy here." He retorted finally freeing one of his legs.

"Djinni Wing!" His burning foot smashed into Verns' snout turning the razor sharp teeth away.

"What's this do?" Thomas said playfully as he reactivated the cages electricity and turned the power on high. Gabe grinned as he figured out his mentor's plan. His feet flared up as he ran straight at the colossal monster.

"Rising Lucifer!" He sent the kishin reeling back with his explosive drop kick, straight into the sparking cage. Verns reeled in pain as the electricity shot through his body. His eyes began bleeding and sparks ran through his teeth.

"I hate to see animals suffer." Thomas said as he stood next to Gabriel to watch the display. "Let's put him down, kiddo" Thomas said. He tossed his Fedora up as his body became a Tommy gun. Gabe caught the falling Fedora and pulled it on over his own head. He leveled Thomas at the dying kishin as a red orb enveloped him.

"Hellfire Auto." He pulled the trigger, sending out a stream of red and white flame that surrounded the reptilian monster. The flames burned up for what felt like forever before they finally died, revealing a charred cage and a single Kishin egg.

Thomas retook human form as he retrieved his hat. He then started padding down his pockets and over coat looking for something, and not finding it.

"Looking for these?" Gabriel said holding up a carton of cigarettes and a lighter. Thomas chuckled embarrassed under Gabe's glare.

"I know. I know. Hisako said I need to quit smoking. This stuff just slips my mind sometimes." He explained as Gabriel handed back the items and sighed. "Just go report in to Shinigami. I'm going to go look for my jacket." Gabe ran off then leaving Thomas alone. He sighed and stuffed the items pack into his pocket. He then walked off into town looking for a mirror to call in.

His attention was suddenly caught by a pub. He hesitated, but then walked in, Hisako had said nothing about drinking.

**An hour of drinking later:**

"Hey bar keep! Hic. Who's leg you gotta shoot to get a refill over here? Hic." Thomas deliriously scarfed down the shot. Okay let's face it. He wasn't the strongest drinker. He had just ordered another when he heard someone sit down beside him.

"I think you've had enough." An amused looking Gabriel said as he helped the woozy inspector to his feet. Thomas noticed he had retrieved his blazer.

"I'm gonna get hell for this ain't I" Thomas slurred.

"I guess." Gabriel said hauling the drunk man out. They walked through the street Thomas loping along. "You know somethin'?" He slurred.

"What?" Gabe asked.

"I think I know why you're so off lately."

"Do tell."

"I'm a thinkin' you finally found what separates men from boys." The drunk inspector giggled knowingly. "You found yourself a girl haven't you?" The younger weapon paused for a second. "Have I?"

"Oh yeah all the signs are there." Thomas rambled. "You're going back to class, you're making nice with her friends, you're concentrations been slipping. Hell I don't think I've ever seen a girl blush as red as that Muramasa girl after that stunt you pulled abit back."

Gabriel remained quiet for a time. "Perhaps I am in love with her." He stated.

Thomas chuckled. "Yeah go get her tiger. Hang on a sec I gotta rest." Gabe let Thomas sit down on a nearby bench. Gabe crossed his arms in contemplation while Thomas breathed in the sobering night air.

"By the way." Gabe turned to find a gun barrel pointed to his forehead. "It's not Muramasa you've been moony eyed for "Gabe". I doubt you'd forget that." Thomas said pressing the barrel closer to his head.

The false Gabriel shrugged. "Out smarted by a drunk. I've reached a new low."

"So who are you?" Thomas demanded. The imposter chuckled.

"Same as you. A good friend of "Gabriel's"." The impostor seemed to roll the name off his tongue distastefully. "I suppose he'd want his jacket back." With a quick flick of his wrist the fake threw up the blazer, blinding Thomas for only a second. In that second the impostor had smacked his open palm into Thomas' chest, sending him skidding back. Thomas panted, he was barely sober, he didn't need this kind of strain.

"I really must thank you for taking care of him for me." The impostor ran his hand through his hair where it stayed sleeked back. "You don't know how much it means to me to know he's alive and well."

"Yeah well it's not like you're gonna meet him tonight." Thomas leveled his gun ready for another round.

"True, but I'm afraid, neither shall you." He held his hand up and snapped. Thomas suddenly felt a chill go off in the pit of his chest.

"Sub-Zero Bite."

Icicles exploded across Thomas' chest, blood dripping from where they punctured him. Thomas' eyes widened before he collapsed backwards. His entire body felt numb. He didn't feel pain, nor anger. Only sorrow. "Guess that's it."

"Afraid so." The impostor said as he snatched the fallen hat from the ground and placed it atop his own head. "I do last request." He offered.

Thomas seemed to ponder this for a second. "In my pocket there's lighter and cigarettes." The fake understood and offered one of them to him. "Toss those things away. Promised a woman I'd quit smoking. Those things can kill you after all."

The fake Gabe did as instructed and then looked back as if expecting someone to be there. He glanced back at his victim and noticed there was no movement, no breath. Only the stillness of death.

Gabriel pounded down the street. He couldn't shake the familiar feeling that crept down his spine. He only hoped he was wrong or atleast that he wasn't too late.

"Thomas!" Gabe finally caught the familiar presence of his mentor's wavelength and swerved into a blind alley.

He skidded to a stop when he came upon the scene. There in the middle of the alley was his mentor, bloodied, broken and silent as the grave. Gabe finally noticed the blue orb beginning to float away into the starry night. He reached for it almost reflexively, knowing he could never actually catch it. He sunk to his knees. His eyes finally found the final clue that proved his fears. His jacket was nailed to nearby wall, icicles hanging it in place. He gripped one of the icy spears.

"Malus." His gripped tightened shattering his catch.

Please review, submit ocs and hang your head in respect.


	21. Preparations Malus

Alright people, just two more chapters then I get started on the movie.

LET'S ROCK!

Preparations: Malus. O God! Not this guy!

The air hummed as the cloaked figure entered the wide cave. He had traveled many miles to find this location. He could feel the source of power he sought was somewhere in this room. The only challenges: finding it, and withstand the caves occupant without pulling his hair out.

"YOU WHO HAVE SOUGHT POWER AND GLORY, STEP INTO THE LIGHT!" As Malus pulled his hood down, he didn't need to guess that respect commanding voice , that had just caused the whole cave to shake, emminated from the golden broad sword that waited in its center.

Malus fixed the most respectful smile upon his face and lowered his head in mock good will. "Great Excaliber. I request only a moment of your time." He said remembering how Toya all ways acted when addressing Mori.

The room was suddenly cast into a brilliant golden light. Malus tried his hardest to not shield his eyes, he had that much self respect left.

As the light died down Malus took in his host's form. Now he was trying his hardest not to break down in hysterics. He had heard that the true form of the holy sword had been ridiculous. But they didn't know the half of it.

"Who are you to presume that you are great enough to take up my precious ,eternal time." The small white creature demanded. It wore a white suit top with no pants. It's nose was arrogantly pointed upward and on its head was tall top hat. It twirled a cane as it walked around Malus, apparently taking him in as much as he was it.

"Have we met before?"

Malus cursed internally. Excaliber was often sought out by students of the academy, it would make since that Gabriel had been here at least once.

Malus quickly fixed his smile back on. "I'm afraid not. I am –"

"My legend dates back to the 12th century. Did you know?" The pushy creature interrupted Malus' introduction and was now pointing his cane at his face. Malus tried hard not to summon Fenrir and chop the creature down.

"Yes I am aware. I have read of your exploits often. Now as I was-"

"Quick! What is your favorite number?" He had been interrupted again. And now by such a juvenile question.

"The number 2, because it is whole and perfect."

"FOOL! You have no right to choose." The cane was back in his face.

"But you just asked-." Malus started.

"My legend started in the 12th century." It was becoming painfully clear that the little annoying creature wasn't going to listen to him. Malus sighed, more from relief than exasperation.

"Hrunting." Icy mist began to swirl around his arm. It began to take form, growing up his arm as a long icicle with two horn like guards. He pointed his icy arm blade at the holy sword, which had mistakeningly turned his back on him.

"Loki Fangs!" He slashed out with Hrunting, sending out a shot gun spread of ice shards, heading straight for Excaliber.

Malus heard the satisfying sound of blades cutting through its target. His grin vanished when in place of an impaled holy sword was a torn white top hat.

"FOOL! Do you not understand the regality of such a hat." Malus turned stunned to the sight of Excaliber standing right beside him. It had apparently avoided his attack last minute, leaving its ridiculous top hat behind.

"Did you know that a chef's importance is determined by the size of his hat. Lucky I have a bigger more extravagant looking hat stored away." The white creature began prancing away with an annoyed Malus in hot pursuit.

"Get back here you!" He had completely forgotten why he had come here. He only knew that he wanted to skewer the prancing annoyance. "Come here so I can freeze dry you!"

"Fool I am best served steamed." As he was prancing about he stopped every once in a while to rummage through junk that was lying around the cave and send back a random snide comment. Finally he stopped at one pile imperticular and began fiddling with a closed cylindrical box.

"Ah here it is." He had finally freed his back up hat and it was indeed taller at least twice the size of his old one, that however wasn't what stopped Malus from cutting down the annoying sword. His eyes were locked in on the black and red jewel embedded above its rim.

"Where did you get that?" Malus asked, all rage blown out of him.

"Do you mean this?" The holy sword tapped the gem with his cane. Malus nodded.

"Interesting story that." The holy sword seemed to rub its chin thoughtfully with its stubby arms. "I'm sure you've heard of my many incredible abilities, have you not? Well one of my personal favorites is my ability to slice open holes in the fabric of reality." He didn't notice that his "captive audience" was still captivated by the jewel on his head. "Many a world I've traveled to, and I'm sure that my landing areas have become holy ground in many of them. Anyway, in one particular vacation of mine I happened upon a handsome fellow in black. He really should have worn a larger hat to show off that visage of majesty. He was quite generous as well. He had handed me this jewel telling me that his world could truly be saved as long as I took this jewel as far from there as possible. How could I refuse?"

His story finished he turned to find a white and gold arm pointed directly at his face. "Thanks for the information."

"Sub-Zero Bite!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Malus gazed upon his prize as he exited the cave, kicking aside the fairy he had frozen on his way in. He marveled at the craftsmanship of the black Phoenix crest surrounding the red gem. He had no actual idea what he was holding, nor did he care where it came from.

All he knew is that within the crimson gleam of this item was a burning desire for blood lust and conquest, just waiting to get out. He began fastening a chain to the crest, fashioning the evil item as a pendant. He knew just who to give it to.

"Now to commence my plan."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mori sat behind his desk, his head was down, mimicking his spirit.

Akira was dying.

He was their in the operating room. He read Akira's health report. Even though they had cleansed his body of the poison, it was clear that he would not recover. There was just too much internal damage. Even if he didn't die immediately, his body would eventually give out.

No one could hide their dismay. Sho had threatened the doctors to try some other method, he didn't care what. Joe, vainly, tried to pull him back, but it was clear that even she was holding back tears. Beltza hasn't spoken to anyone since and he only leaves his room to go hunting for kishin eggs and to restock on his medication.

And Hikari. Mori's precious daughter. She hasn't left Akira's side and probably doesn't plan to any time soon. Mori would some time come to check on her himself and he would sometimes see her quickly wipe away tears.

All of the Bios were unable to except the loss of their most charismatic member. He was like a son to Mori himself, a brother to Sho, Joe and Beltza and perhaps something even more to Hikari. Mori couldn't but feel helpless, he was about to lose such an important member of his family and he could do nothing to stop it.

"Wallowing in self pity Tachibana?"

Mori swung his chair around quickly. He quickly unsheathed the blade hidden in his Kishin emblem tipped cane and leveled it at the intruder's throat.

"Temper temper." Malus chided wagging his finger. "I come in good faith, the angel that I am. I come bearing the answers to your hopes and dreams."

"I have no patience for your tomfoolery, fiend." Mori said with venom. No one could really forget who was truly to blame for Akira's condition.

"Hear me out. I have viewed some of your older projects and I came upon one to be most interesting." He pulled a black portfolio from his cloak and set it on Mori's desk in front of him.

Mori eyed the portfolio and recognized it as one of his forgotten plans. He kept his blade leveled but used his free hand to open the folder. He ran his eyes over the plans and immediately recognized his work from so many years ago.

"You're mad." He said skeptically. "This plan was doomed to fail then and it will now aswell. And we don't even possess the needed material for the procedure."

In answer Malus pulled out what appeared to be a golden cog with runic symbols written on it. Mori lowered his blade and backed away surprised. "That is-!" He choked up in shock.

"Correct. A Soul Cog." The young witch clarified.

A soul cog was a rare magic tool created by witches decades ago in order to create a new generation of human weapons from scratch. It was crafted through a of combination of alchemy and witch science. The procedure to implant the tool was dangerous and fatal 85% of the time. Only those who have studied the process thoroughly, such as Mori, know how to do it. The surgery involves actually cutting open a small incision into the heart and placing the cog inside. If the surgery was successful and the cog and human were compatible the human's body would go through a complete anatomy overhaul and become weapons.

It was from this very process that Sho, Joe and Hikari were born. The process is best done on young undeveloped souls, and it was for that reason that Mori had his own child, aswell as the children of a few of his compatriots put under the knife. The procedure had at least six participants and only three survived. The realization that he could have lost his only daughter that day still hung heavy in his heart. Was he now forced to do the same now for Akira.

"Think of it." Malus held out the cog. "He would be reborn with a power he could only dream of."

"Where did you get that?" Mori questioned.

"My mother's network runs deep oldman. Don't think you're the only one who is graced with her support. And don't worry about the results. I paid quite well to have this crafted to your specific design. I doubt they failed." Malus clarified.

Mori rubbed his hands over his eyes. Was this the only way?

"Project Tesla. The most dangerous project I ever devised. Stronger than Sho, Joe and Hikari combined. There's no chance that anyone could possibly survive the process at his age." Mori argued. Malus fingered the gem in his pocket.

"Never underestimate ones power to survive when given the correct push."

"You seem well, Ms. Mori." Hikari was startled by the presence of Malus at the door. He leaned on the doorway, taking in the condition of the hospital bed's dying patient.

Akira was hooked up to over a dozen machines, all necessary in order to prolong his continuously fading life. Hikari suddenly stood to block his view of the dying Bio.

"I don't know why you're here but I won't let you near Aki-Kun!" She spread her arms out wide as if believing that would stop him.

Malus held up his hands in peace. "I bear no ill will to your friend. I come offering my most sincere apology and a gift." He held out the Phoenix necklace to the surprised green-haired girl.

"What is this?" She gazed at the jewel warily.

"It's known as a Phoenix pinion." Malus lied. "It's a rare witch artifact crafted from the magical tears of the fire bird. Some believe it contains the healing powers of the phoenix. Myself, I believe it all to be silly superstition, but as a good luck charm, I'm sure you'll find more use for it." He placed it in her hand and began to leave.

"Why?" Hikari asked, this was unusual behavior for the normally cruel Malus.

Malus sighed. "Embassrassing enough to say, I was chided by my mother earlier. She holds your father and your team in high regard, and as your partners in this campaign we should show a common respect." He then left, not sure or caring if the girl believed his lie or not. He was confident though that the girl would place the necklace on Akira, what choice did she have?

"Fool." He chuckled then grimaced in a familiar, comical way. It appears something has rubbed off on him from his previous endeavor.

"Malus-sama." Malus quickly wiped the face away when one of Mori's lower workers walked toward him holding out a piece of folded paper.

"This is a message to you. It was found on the uncounscious Dr. Hausen."

This perked Malus' interest. If he remembered correctly, this had been incommand of the branch of Mori's organization that Malus had tipped off Shibusen about. And he wagered another hunch on who the message was from.

He dismissed the soldier then and unfolded the letter. It had only one word written on it:

Hokkaidou.

Alright! The movies so close I can taste it.


	22. Preparations Gabriel

**Preparations: Gabriel. A single tear may cost a life?**

"Alright class, time for roll." Soul said as he began calling off names. "Mariam Swallowtail?"

"Present." Marie said flately. This was the common mood that hovered over Team Diablon after the events from two days before.

"Gabriel?" Soul called out.

"Here." Allison noted the lack of feeling that came from her partner's reply. She was amazed that he could hold together so well, considering…

**2 days before:**

_Allison and the others backed away as the Death Rail pulled in. Hisako and Soul Eater had joined them , all had been summoned by Shinigami to greet Gabriel and Thomas on their return from a successful mission. At least that was what they assumed._

_The doors of the monorail train slid open allowing Gabriel to walk out. Allison and the others greeted him happily, which he seemed to return almost half heartedly. When Hisako tried to pull him into a motherly hug, he shirked away with his head low in shame. The group cast questioning gazes his way, Soul however looked into the train, in search of Thomas. His exhalation of breath lured them all in to see what he had found, all except Gabriel and Hisako who continued to question his odd behavior. She then also seemed to notice the lack of the always attention grabbing investigator._

_She attempted to walk into the crowded monorail only for Soul to block her path giving her a pained look. She began to grow nervous and she attempted to shove past him. After a moment of struggling, she finally shoved her way through. She halted when she saw all of them surrounding a large sleeping bag like bundle sprawled across one of the seats. She looked to all of their faces, being given a similar pained look as Soul gave her earlier. She ran to bundle hoping to whatever god was listening that she would not find what she feared was inside._

**Present**

"Ms. Rogers?"Allison suddenly realized that Soul had already called her twice.

"Oh! Here!" She responded quickly.

After the unveiling of Thomas' corpse Hisako had fallen to her knees. Tears streamed down her face. Allison had always pictured the unshakable Fugiri Hisako as some kind of warrior woman who would get angry before she would ever break down and cry like that. But then she never realized how close Thomas and Hisako really were.

The group all exited the monorail, looking for Gabriel for answers, but he had already left. He was in class the next day, acting as if nothing had happened. Soul came in as well, acting as substitute for the too shook up Hisako.

When they all pestered him for answers over what had happened, he replied, explaining that he and Thomas had split up and when he finally found the detective the deed had already been done. They were disturbed by how unfeeling he had said it.

**After class**

As Gabriel, Allison, Sakuya, Marie and Robyn were exiting the classroom they were suddenly halted by the presence of Wu and Sora waiting for them in the hallway.

Wu pointed his finger directly at Gabe. "I don't like it." He declared.

"My hair?" Gabe said practically absent mindedly, running his hair through his pale, blonde locks. "Take it up with Blair, she's the only one I let do my hair." The group was stunned. "Did he just make a joke?" Robyn whispered to Allison, who shook her head unsure.

"Not that!" Wu stomped his foot, agitated. "You're hiding something. Something about what happened to Gunn." Wu accused, starting to draw a crowd. Gabriel's eyes narrowed. He clearly didn't want to have this conversation and attempted to shove past Wu who held out his arm to block him.

"We're not done." He glared menacingly at his long time rival. "I say we have it out right now. I win, you spill your guts." Wu gripped the taller boy by the collar.

Gabe responded with a sigh.

He grabbed Wu's hand before he could counter and began to bend it backwards. Wu gritted his teeth from the pain, not fully appreciating the fact that his opponent could pull off his arm if he wanted.

Gabe then slipped his foot back behind Wu's and kicked inward, knocking his opponent off his feet and causing him fall back, towards the sloping flight of stairs behind him. Gabe quickly tightened his grip on Wu's wrist, pulled him back and released him, to fumble straight into Robyn and Sakuya. Sora ran to assist her partner, casting Gabriel a disappointed look.

"What's wrong with you?" She demanded. "Were you trying to seriously hurt him?" Gabriel neither answered her question nor met the groups gaze. He turned away and made his way to the exit. The onlookers gave him a fearful gap to walk through, and as he exited the Academy they began whispering amongst themselves.

"Did you see that?"

"Looks like the old Devil Busters back to his old tricks."

"Guess he really hasn't changed."

"All of you shut up!" The startled onlookers immediately stopped their chatter at Wu's command. Wu detached himself from Robyn and Sakuya and propped himself back up. And despite the fact that he was massaging his bruised wrist he had a satisfied grin plastered across his face.

"I think I finally got to him."

**Cabacura's**

Gabriel sipped from his coffee as the shop began filling up with more customers for their late night business hours. He had just finished his cup when Blair walked by and set another down next to him, with a cup of milk and cream for herself.

"Hey Gabbree! Where's all your cute new friends?" She asked noticing that the stores new younger clients had not shown up with him this time around.

"Who knows?" Gabriel responded, gulping down his coffee quickly.

"It's that time Gabe." Bob called from his spot behind the counter. It was their deal that Gabe and his friends could come in as long as they didn't interfere with business, which included not hanging around during heavy business hours.

"Got it." He shrugged into his blazer as he paid for his coffee. He gave Blair a backwards wave as he exited.

He was just making his way down the street when he felt a familiar presence coming from behind, and to the sides from him. He sighed.

"No point in tailing a guy who has Soul Perception." He called into the darkening street.

"Did you guys know he had Soul Perception?" Phoenix said as he, Xeal and the rest of team Diablon stepped from their various hiding spots. They all surrounded him, trying to cut off any routes he could use to leave. If he didn't know any better he could have sworn this was a…

"Gabriel, please understand we're all people who care about you and only want to know why you've been acting this way." Marie said soothingly.

"Uh oh. An intervention. Now I'm in trouble." Gabriel seemed to chuckle.

"Oh my god! Sarcasm! Guy's he's scaring me!" Robyn said with shock.

"There's nothing wrong with me." Gabriel asserted.

"We're just worried. Ever since Thomas died you've been acting like you want to be as far from people as possible." Allison spoke up. "We all know how close you and he were. Hisako-sensei is taking it very badly and we just want to make sure that you're alright."

"Couldn't be better." Gabriel attempted to shove through only to be stopped by Wu once again.

"If that's true…" Wu said pulling a photo from his pocket. "Then why are you carrying this around?" The photo depicted Thomas and Gabe at what appeared to be a picnic. It was assumed that Hisako had taken the picture. Thomas had an annoyed Gabe in a headlock and had his hat pressed down over his eyes. The picture had a kind of father/son image. Gabriel's surprised stare and fumbling in his pockets showed that he was caught off guard.

"Snatched it from your jacket when you weren't looking." Wu clarified. Gabe made a grab for the photo only for the sprier Wu to jump away before he ever got close.

"What? I thought you were fine? I mean if you were really fine you wouldn't care if I were to say: set a lighter to it." Gabe's response was a roundhouse kick to the face that caught Wu off guard. Wu was sent sprawling back into Danny and Xeal who looked at Gabriel with dismay. Though Wu's actions were clearly not a part of any plan they knew of, they weren't expecting things to break down into violence. Gabriel turned away from the group's stares, he gripped the newly reclaimed photo graph tightly until he stopped knowing he would ruin it if he held tighter for much longer.

A chuckle grabbed the entire group of teenager's attention suddenly. Wu wiped the blood from the side of his face and gave Gabriel a knowing look. Gabe's shoulders slumped when he knew he'd been beat.

"I guess I'm not alright after all." He stated. The group finally relaxed at the break through. Gabe offered Wu a hand up. "Is getting beat up the only way you have an apiffany?"

"Screw you." Wu retorted but took the hand any way. He massaged his already swollen cheek. Gabe noticed this and felt guilty.

"Sigh. Alright. Bandages and dinner at my place I guess." The group gave him startled looks, clearly not use to the invitation.

"It's the least I can do." He didn't continue further, only gave them a gesture to follow him.

"Oh wow!" The group said in unison at the spread set in front of them.

"Thanks. But you'll probably get more satisfaction if it was made by Hisako." Gabe rubbed the back of his head, almost in embarrassment. He had cooked an impressive Japanese style dinner, with plenty for everyone to have seconds.

"I might just dump you and fall for this guy instead." Fauna commented to a mortified Daniel.

"It certainly tastes authentic." Sakuya agreed. Allison giggled at her best friend. It was rare that she ever had anything good to say about Gabriel. And for once it seemed as if Gabriel himself was truly enjoying himself.

"Stay as long as you guys like. It's the least I can do." Gabe reiterated.

"This is plenty. Thank you." Allison interjected which every agreed to.

"You certainly like taking pictures." Mint gestured to all the framed photographs hung on the walls and propped up all around the large living room which doubled as a dining room for them all. All the photos depicted Gabriel with either Thomas, Hisako and even some with Soul, Black star, Tsubaki, KIDD, and several other people the group didn't recognize.

"To me their precious memories. Things I want to remember." He responded with an honest smile.

Everyone had their mouths hanging open, some still holding up food to bring to their mouths. It was rare he was ever this open. And now that he was, he almost seemed… cute?

"That's it!" Robyn quickly stood up and pointed at Gabe accusingly. "Who are you and what did you do with Gabe?"

Gabriel didn't miss a beat. "He's not in at the moment. But if you wait abit I can bring out Shinigami." He stood up and crossed the room to a nearby hanging photo. He used his finger to turn it ever so slightly and then returned to his seat with a look of concentration that caused all of them to give him confused looks.

Suddenly his face starting twitching and he constantly looked back and forth from them and the unaligned picture. And then…

"Ahh!" He suddenly spazed out and fumbled with the picture spouting in a high pitched voice: "It must perfect, blah blah blah. Symmetry, blah blah. The number eight." His friends couldn't help themselves. They burst out laughing at his accurate depiction of their boss. He bowed to their applause.

The fun had continued for several more hours. All of them attempted their own impersonations, some hilarious, like Wu's depiction of Duncan. Others… pitful, like Allison's of Hisako. Eventually the joking had died down to story telling, with various members telling of how they had met up with each other. Later they discussed all the things they would start doing with the, as they called him, ' new, fun Gabriel'.

Eventually, many members of their little party had to leave for home, saying they'd love to come again. In the end it was only Allison, Sakuya , Marie, and Robyn who stayed. They were all soundly asleep on the couches in Gabe's living room. He smiled at how soundly they slept, knowing how dismayed they'd be when they found him gone in the morning.

It wasn't easy setting up for this. He had left Malus the message to meet him in Japan day's ago. And it took him another day to swipe one of the Death Rail pass cards from Soul's office. The only thing left for him to do was to make sure no one followed him. His original plan was very flawed and he knew it wouldn't likely work, considering how stubborn his friends were when confronted with negative feedback. In the end they had a party, which he never expected. In his guilt and possible fear of the outcome of this venture, he had allowed himself a pleasure he had denied himself for so long. Happiness and joy.

He couldn't stay any longer. Just as he made his way through the room he couldn't help but stop in front of the sleeping Allison.

This one girl had basically torn down every wall he had built for over two years in only the first few weeks he had known her. He regretted that he may never see her again. Never see her incredible smile again, never see those tears he couldn't help but want to wipe away. And those blue eyes of hers. He knew he would never see the emotion in hers like he always had in his own.

She stirred and he stepped back quickly. But she didn't wake. He smiled as he brushed a lock of her hair out of her face. He then placed his blazer over her sleeping form, leaving his most iconic item for her to keep.

(Bgm: TRC Ost I talk to the rain)

He waited at the Death rail station, at satchel thrown over his shoulder. He hoped against hope that nothing would go wrong. That he'd be done with it and gone.

"Gabriel!"

No! This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Why couldn't she have stayed asleep. He was aware that the monorail was pulling in but he knew it had arrived too late.

"Why are you doing this?" Allison gripped the black blazer close around her frame. A look of absolute panic across her face.

He didn't want to leave and see anyone's sad face but he knew he could not leave without an explanation now.

"It was to get to me." She cast him a confused look. "The person who killed Thomas was sending me a message. He knew where I was now and he knew I had made a grave mistake."

"What mistake." She asked not understanding.

"I had found people I cared about." He stated, turning away. "People he could use to get at me. Thomas was just the first. Who would be next? Hisako? Soul? Wu? You?" The look on his face finally showed to her how much pain he was in. The face of a lonely boy who finally found security in a new life only for it to be destroyed in an instant.

"That's why I can't waste time mourning. Every minute I waste shedding tears is time for him to choose who to butcher next. I can't allow that!" His demonic arm suddenly flared up, mimicking the determination that shown across his face.

"I understand." Her response had cut him off guard completely."I understand, but I don't like it." She continued taking quick steps to stand infront of him.

"I don't have a strong sixth sense like Marie. But even I can tell when some one is hiding something. You're not confident that you'll come back are you?" She knew she had hit the mark when he didn't meet her eyes.

"That's why I want you to make me a promise." She began to slide her golden angel pin off her brown braid, causing it to unravel and flow free. She held it out to the confused Gabriel. "This is really important to me. And so are you. I want you to give it back to me when you return. Okay?" Her eyes showed so much confidence in him. Faith in his ability and in his courage. How could he deny her.

He wrapped his hand over her own to receive the offering and suddenly lost to his stronger impulse. His pull caused her to grasp in shock. Especially as he wrapped his arms about her, not wanting to let go. He breathed in her scent as he embraced her tighter, noticing that she was pushing against his chest to be realeased. But his desire was stronger and still urging him on.

He wrapped his fingers about her chin and pulled her in close. Allison gasped internally as his lips brushed across her own. A bright redness spread across her face. She would have fought him further but he broke the kiss then. Looking at her with a face as red as his eyes. He quickly pulled away. He grabbed his satchel and stuffed her angel pin into his pocket. As he boarded the train he looked back as the doors were closing. She barely heard his parting words.

"I make a new vow now. After this, I swear I'll never let you feel worried about me again. And please take heart in the fact that if it weren't for you I would have never been human."

Alright! That's the kind of buildup a movie needs. Sorrow, happiness, fluff!

And yes I will be doing the movie next. However I have some additional information about how this will play out.

This will be a separate fanfic. So this will be under a different name than soul Eater Fury. I just haven't figured out what yet.

I will be making the various parts of the movie all at once so I may not update at my usual time.

Okay bad knews time. The last part will be mostly due to the fact that my computer is running low on memory and may affect my output if not taken care of soon. So I have to send it in to get the memory wiped. Don't worry they leave my folders as they are.

So that's it take or leave it. And if you know of more do it yourself methods of fixing this problem please tell me.

Despicable out!


	23. Soul and Gabe's day of terror

Hey everybody! I'M BACK! And I'm ready to ready to start the next arc. Its name: **Brothers of Armageddon. **

**Soul and Gabe's day of terror. The true protagonist's return?**

"Orya!" Gabriel just rolled aside as his opponent's flying punch smashed into the spot where his head had been. He wasn't expecting he'd have so much difficulty fighting recently. Especially not against this guy.

"This is getting boring!" Wu was hopping on the tip of his toes as he shifted from left and right positions. "C'mon Devil Buster!"

"You do realize this is just a sparring match, right?" Daniel called over to the too worked up teen. Gabriel had unexpectedly challenged Wu to spar with him, a rare event even for the new Gabriel. Daniel, his team, Allison, Sakuya, Sora, as well as Mariam and Robyn joined them to watch the fight. But they were in for a shock.

Gabriel was actually and honestly losing!

Gabe panted as he brought up his guard once more. He cursed himself for thinking he could face someone of Wu's level with his unique predicament.

(Flash back: Yesterday)

_Gabe was called down to the Death Room after class that day. Shinigami was waiting for him, tapping a black box with his finger._

_Shinigami pushed the box to Gabriel who quickly understood why he'd been called down. "This is…"_

"_Yes. Your new limiters." Gabe lifted the lid of the box to see the familiar goofy skull emblem attached to a black band. Relief settled in his soul. He'd been containing his powers with concentration and focus for over a week now and it left him mentally exhausted. This limiter magic tool would do that work for him. But then he noticed that there were two limiters in the box. _

"_What's the second one for?" He said as he placed the first band over his wrist. The familiar cold feeling relaxed him as the magic tool did its job and forced his wavelength down._

"_It's yours as well." Shinigami said his crossing his fingers together in contentment._

"_Eh?" Gabe reached in and eyed the second band in confusion. One was more than enough for him to control his powers. Why did he need two?_

"_I could feel that outburst of yours from all the way here Gabriel." The reaper stated. Gabe flinched at the reminder. He didn't need anyone to remind him of his encounter with his newly revealed half brother. As well as how close he came to being swallowed in his own rage._

"_These limiters are to be worn at all times Gabriel. Do I make myself clear?" _

_Gabriel nodded, though he suspected the eccentric reaper had another reason for wanting him to wear two._

_(end)_

'Damn symmetry crazed geezer.' Gabe thought to himself. This distraction left him wide open for Wu's next attack.

"Jet step!" Gabe lost sight of his hyper active rival. He turned his head this way and that, readying himself for an attack from all sides.

"Jet Fever!" Wu popped up in front of the startled Gabriel. Wu back flipped, catching Gabe under the chin with the tip of his toe. Gabe was in the air when the next flip kick smashed into his back, sending him colliding into the ceiling. He crashed back down into the floor with a comically flat, stunned expression.

"Wu, you went too far!" Allison yelled as she and Sakuya rushed to help their down comrade.

"It's what he gets for thinking he could take me on with a handicap." Wu argued back. Both stopped arguing then when the slowly recovering Gabriel raised a hand to stop Allison.

"The match isn't over yet." He said as wiped away the blood running from his mouth. The limiters may have cut him off from his wavelength, but his body was as strong and resilient as ever. His pride as well. 'I refuse to let this guy one-up me!' He brought his fist back in his normal stance but his palm was pointed straight up.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Shibusen Infirmary**

"So what seems to be the problem?" Natsumi asked as Hisako sat beside her at her desk.

"I've been feeling sick for a while now." Hisako explained holding her stomach in discomfort. "I can't seem to hold down food. And my periods late."

At that Natsumi stopped her subconscious tapping of her pen against her desk. "H-how late are you?"

"At least a week and a ha-." Soul suddenly crashed into the infirmary a look of pure distress across his face.

"Where's Gabe!" He sputtered, panting.

"Soul get out! This is a delicate situation!" Natsumi demanded trying to push him out of the door.

"Not until you tell me where Gabriel is! Hisako you gotta help me!" He begged.

Hisako sweat dropped at the sight of her senpai begging her for help. "Uh. I think he's in the training hall."

"Thank you!" Natsumi slammed the door behind him, the sound of crashing could be heard as he stumbled through the hall.

Hisako laughed in spite of herself but then she remembered Natsumi's urgency while trying to remove him. "Tsuname-san. What did you mean by a delicate situation?" Her colleagues worried stare unnerved her.

"You might want to remain seated."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Back at the dojo**

"Gabe you gotta hide me!" Soul threw aside the sliding doors as he stumbled into the training hall, while still wearing his shoes. He skidded to a halt when he took in the sight before him.

The group of Diablon teens were gathered around a dizzy and bruised Wu Tian. Allison had Gabriel by the cheek, she appeared to be reprimanding him for his roughness. Couldn't blame her. On the walls, floors and ceiling were Wu shaped imprints.

"What the heck happened here?" Soul asked, though he could warrant a guess.

The group finally seemed to notice him as Wu pulled himself up to speak. "He sucker punched me." He answered, rubbing his swollen cheek. "Then he grabbed me by the legs and he threw me over there." He pointed to the far wall. "Then he grabbed my arms and he through me over there." He then pointed to a dent in the floor on the opposite side of the first. "Then he tossed me onto his shoulders and her threw me up their." He pointed to the final crater, just over his head.

"Well I guess that's just you all over." Soul half joked. The group, with the exception of the perpetrator, was not amused. The Death scythe quickly regained his panic when he remembered why he was here. "This is no time to joke! Gabe you gotta hide me."

Gabriel stepped back startled when the older man suddenly got on his knees and began to tug on the ends of his blazer. "Hide you from what?"

"Maka! She'll be here any minute." He then started rocking back and forth on his haunches as he entered a sitting fetal position. "She's been traveling for four years now. She's probably found some book the size of an entire encyclopedia collection by now."

"Um." Sakuya raised her hand like any honor student would when she had a question. "Why are you so terrified of your wife returning? Aren't you happy to see her after so many years?"

"Of course he's happy to see her." Gabe answered as he ripped his coat tail from Soul's grasp. "The genius here however forgot to call on their last anniversary."

"Ooh." Robyn cringed at the statement. His friends shared his sentiment. "That's gonna come back to bite you and then some."

"I tried to call her and apologize, but she wouldn't answer any of my calls and she never called me. She must be so pissed she doesn't even want to speak to me until I'm in chopping distance." He held his head in memory of his adolescence and all the pain he went through at the hands of the girl he loved.

"So why do I have to hide you?" Gabe demanded.

"Because you owe me!" Soul pointed his finger into Gabe's nose. "I made you my best man at our wedding. I could have chosen Black Star, KID, Thomas, hell I could have even chose Chrona. But I picked you instead so you owe me."

Gabe pushed Soul's hand aside. "First I didn't even want to be best man. Second, you didn't choose any of the others because Black star would of lost or broke the ring, Lord Death would have found some defect in it and demand you give him a perfect one to look after, Thomas wouldn't have stopped flirting with Hisako to look after it and Chrona probably couldn't have stopped Ragnarok from thinking it was candy and eating it." Allison and the others were impressed he could say all that in one breath."

"Please!" Soul had his hands around the blazer again. "Just help me find a hiding place until I can think of a good excuse."

Gabe sighed as he tried to give some thought to it. "Okay how about this?" Soul was hooked on his every word. "Hide in the library."

Soul fell to the floor in shock. "That is the most retarded idea I've ever heard! She practically lived in that Library when we were kids. What makes you think she wouldn't find me their?"

"Think. You would never willingly go to the library, right?" Soul nodded, waiting for the point. "If she's as pissed as you think she is then the first thing she'll do is go hunting for you. She'd never look for you in the library."

Soul's jaw dropped in astonishment. "You're a genius!" He spassticly lifted the startled teen in a tear filled bear hug, blubbering thank you's as he did. He then sped off to enjoy his sure security.

"Are you sure about this plan?" Allison asked as Gabriel tried to wipe the slobber and tears from his clothes.

"Not really. But he wanted a hiding spot so I gave him one. As long as he's out of my hair I've got no problems."

"I would not be so sure." The group turned to the familiarly menacing voice of Duncan Richards as his frame overtook the doorway. "I've come to finish our duel, Devil."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Shibusen Library**

Soul whistled in contentment as he lounged back in one of the library chairs.

"This is perfect." He cooed. "I could hide in here for a week and she'd never find me." The perfect plan. (YEAH RIGHT!)

"Hiding from who?" Soul fell back at the sound of the familiar voice.

"Ow." He said as he rubbed the back of his head. When he looked up, his heart skipped a beat as he peered into the smiling face of his beloved, green eyed wife. Or maybe that skip came from fear as he noticed the book resting threateningly in her hand. 'Holy crap it is bigger!' he thought in fear.

"Hi honey." Maka said in that threateningly calm way of hers, she started clapping the book expectantly into her hand.

"H-h-Happy Anniversary baby." He covered his face in preparation for the beating of a life time. But no beating came.

"Right anniversary." The book was suddenly put away as her face went red and she seemed to turn away in shame. Soul lifted his brow in confusion of the action. "I'm sorry I didn't call!" He flinched back at her outburst.

"HUH?"

A tear was forming in her eye as she turned back around to face him. "My cell phone broke so I couldn't call for our anniversary like we promised. And none of the towns we passed through had working phones or postal services until we got to the one where our Death Rail was waiting, so I couldn't apologize for being so irresponsible." The water works suddenly started up. "You must be so angry with me."

Soul chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek reassuringly. "No way. I was worried you'd be mad at me."

She cast him a suspicious look. "You didn't cheat on me with Blair did you?"

"Hell no! It's just.." He started. "I kind of forgot our anniversary." He admitted.

Emerald met maroon as Maka stared up at him in astonishment. She then started a hicuppy giggle.

"We're a real pair aren't we?" She asked.

"You said it hone-." He caught himself. "Sorry."

She wrapped her arms around his neck as she smiled up at him. "You can call me honey right now." She pulled his head down to hers as their lips met.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Death Room**

"My beautiful partners!" KID wrapped his arms around the two Thompson sisters in a big hug, his eyes streamed with tears as he nestled his head into their bosoms.

"I think KID really missed us sis." Patti, the shorter blond haired woman laughed at their partner's affectionate greeting.

"Yeah. A very unhealthy amount." Liz, the older brown haired sister said as she tried to extract the bawling Shinigami from her cleavage. "We missed you too KID, but should a Grim Reaper like you act this way!"

"Blat's blot bwhy I'm cwying." He started then attempted to get ahold of himself. "I'm crying because…" He then grasped both girls breast in his hands. "YOUR BOOBS ARE STILL DIFFERENT SIZES!"

"Here we go." Liz rolled her eyes while Patti cackled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Back in the library**

Soul and Maka smiled warmly to each other as they recalled the interesting events that had happened to them. Soul chuckled when Maka told him about how she nearly bashed in this drunkards head when he tried to get friendly. Ever since her very late development finally sprouted, she'd been the focus of many stares Soul did not care for, luckily enough he didn't always need to be the one to quash the stares.

"I swear the man looked ready to wet himself." Maka giggled. "I think Patti was actually in danger of busting a gut."

The mood became solemn when Soul moved on to the more recent happenings in Death City, including the battle against Mori's automatons. And the death of Thomas.

"I'm so sorry." Maka gripped Soul's hand in reassurance. "He was an irreplaceable friend to all of us. I just wish I had been here sooner."

"Same here. Gabe's not too sure anyone can beat the bastard who killed Tommy. But now that you're here-." Maka was looking at him curiously.

"How does Gabriel know Thomas's killer?" Soul practically flinched when he realized he had just messed up. Gabe had actually begged not to tell Maka until he could find some kind of anti-Maka Chop helmet. His chances of finding one were slim.

"_Whatever you do, please do not tell Maka about me! I've still got the stitches from when she chopped me for going to Cabacura's. It's just a coffe house, what she get so worked up about!"_

"Soul?" She was right up into his face now, her eyes and voice filled with suspicion. "Are you hiding something?"

"Never baby! C'mon it's me we're talking about." Not his best argument.

"You know I don't like lies." The book came out again.

"No wait-!"

(Enter Patrick Starr pain scream here)

**Field outside the dojo**

"Did anyone just here a scream of absolute agony?" Marie asked, her greater sense of hearing picking up a distant beatdown.

Rosa hushed her. "The duel is starting."

Gabriel and Duncan faced each other from opposite sides of the battle ground. As always, Duncan left no room for a refusal, or for a teacher to come and act as reff.

Without any warning Duncan was dashing across the field his fist pulled back and sparking with his violent anti-demon wavelength. Gabe took an uncharacteristic step back, he had a hard enough time against Wu, this was guy was definitely not going to pull any punches. But Allison and the others were watching, he couldn't look weak now.

'Courage!' he thought and his hand went up to the rim of his hat.

"Today, I send your soul to God's bosom!" The crazed priest slammed his fist forward as his opponent brought up his ridiculous guard. 'A hat?' Duncan's fist could drive a perfect hole through stone and this was his opponent's shield?

His sparking fist slammed into the white cloth Fedora and he felt no resistance as he pushed the defenseless Gabriel back.

"As inviting as your offer sounds, I think I'll pass." Their march ended as Gabriel ground in his feet. Duncan was stunned, he didn't see the incoming round house kick. Duncan stumbled backwards, gripping his bruised cheek.

'Whoo!' Gabriel sighed in relief and shook the numbness from his hand as best he could. He seemed confident but he was sweating both figuratively and literally.

He wiped the bead of moisture from his brow. What would Thomas think of him? His mentor's montra suddenly resounded in his mind.

"_He wears his hat low to hide the emotion in his eyes. His passion lies only in his fist. Fist empowered to protect his loved ones and to strike down evil. That passion is the mark of manliness. That fries the soul until it is perfect. That is truly a well-done man."_

Gabe pulled the white fedora low and brought up his new stance.

"Hey it's that same stance." Hana stated. The group still remembered how deftly Wu had been defeated by that same stance and the strange fighting style he took up with it. Only Allison and Sakuya truly recognized it.

"Muramasa Phoenix fist." Allison murmured.

No wonder he only wanted to learn Muramasa Bushido. He had already picked up the basics from physical memory. Duncan growled in outrage from the familiar stance. He charged back in again like a mad bull. Gabriel held his ground, waiting for his opponent to get within range.

"You're mine!" Duncan had just pulled around for a haymaker strike when his fist was brushed away from Gabriel's left arm while his right shot a straight into Duncan's face.

"AGH!" The priest covered his broken nose, trying to stem the blood flow. He had no time to recover when the quick Devil Buster sprang in between his guard, slamming his elbow into the startled man's torso. Duncan quickly lost the ground he thought he had gained.

Daniel whistled, impressed. "Even without his powers he's still as dangerous as ever." The look the others gave him quickly shut him up. It was unfortunately too late.

"No powers you say?" The priest had quickly recovered and was now eyeing the now nervous Devil Buster, looking for any kind of change. His eyes then fell on the two limiters. "You've been cut off it seems." His chuckle was dripping with renewed assurance. "Perfect."

His arms then began pumping rapidly. White energy crackled from his fist and appeared as floating orbs in front of him. Daniel and the girls gasped for they recognized this technique.

"Gabriel get away!"

'Too late!' Once again Gabriel had put his friends in a position for cross fire, if he moved they'd be at the priest's mercy. He pulled his fist back in reflex.

"Ifrit-." But of course nothing would happen. "Dammit!"

"Law-abiding Silver Machine Gun!" Duncan smashed his fist against the newly formed wall of energy orbs. Gabriel could only ground his feet in and cross his arms in defense as the white light came to engulf him. Suddenly, a new light appeared.

"Let's go! Soul Resonance!"

A tornado suddenly crashed down in the blast' path, slicing apart the incoming energy orbs like paper.

"Witch Hunter. Whirlwind Cutter!" The tornado's rotation began to slow until the wind dispersed revealing a woman with long blond hair, wearing a long black coat and wielding a scythe with a smiling crescent moon as its blade. She stared daggers at the two combatants.

The group behind Gabriel were in awe of the legendary figure before them.

"That's –." Sakuya started.

"M-M-Maka!" Gabriel was backing away fearfully. Though staying in place, the ever stalwart Duncan looked truly terrified as well.

"I believe you both are aware of the rules of engagement for duels on school grounds." She spoke with an air of a teacher but the look she had spoke of worse things than detention. "Richards!" Duncan flinched when she called his name. "As always you choose to ignore these rules. And Gabriel." Despite the hasty retreat he was making she easily caught up to grab him by the collar. "I'm sure we taught you better. As well as the rest of you-." Her glare was now on the startled teens. "Why didn't you call for a teacher?"

"Uh…We-." Robyn started.

"No excuses!" He flinched at her retort. At that moment Duncan began to beat a hasy retreat, though he turned to make a backwards retort. "This isn't over Devil! You won't be able to hide behind anyone the next time we meet!" And he was gone.

"I doubt I'll be alive for that." Gabriel thought aloud.

"Now then-." Maka had immediately gripped his attention. "About how you've been lying to us. You know how I feel about lies."

"Technically I withheld information for personal reasons." He sputtered and flinched when she pulled out what could have only been ten books in a single cover.

"I also don't like back talk. And excuses." She leveled the book above his head. "One chop for every year you've been "withholding information"." Gabe did the math in his head. Nine years!

"Maka…" Gabriel closed his eyes for the inevitable. "…Chop!"

So Maka's back and Soul and Gabe pay for it. Yep it's just not Soul Eater without Maka.

Next time: We catch up with Xeal, Phoenix, Mint and Lavender as they investigate the happenings in a completely deserted town. And who is the heroic acting figure who resides over the town? And what is happening to Hisako?

All next time on Soul Eater Fury!

I do not own Soul Eater or it's original characters


	24. A plague descends

**A plague descends. Rise of Shadow Soldier Kei?**

**Somewhere in rural Pennsylvania.**

"The Lord is our shepherd and he shall guide and protect us for we are his flock."

_Crash!_

This had been the pattern for the past week for the huddled and frightened survivors of the little village of Corn Hallow. The preacher would offer up prayers to God for salvation and protection while the hell spawned beast outside would smash their bodies against the sturdy oak doors of the chapel. But morale for the villagers was running low as well as their meager rations. Either the creatures would succeed in breaking down the door or they would all starve to death.

_Crash! Crash! _

The monster's chattered and cawed, their many stubby legs scratching against the door after several more futile attempts.

And then, just as it had begun, the ramming stopped. The villagers cast confused looks all around. It wasn't unusual for them to quit. And they would eventually return. But this was much too soon.

_Knock. Knock._

The villager now became startled. We're the beast trying to entice them out by mimicking human habits?

"It's safe now. You can all come out." An assuring voice called from outside.

"The demons have learned speech! Turn your ears away my brothers and sisters! Lest they sing madness into thy souls!" An older member of the village called out in warning, prompting everyone to cover their ears.

A scoff could be heard from outside, followed by a pained grunt. "Please listen!" The first voice called out again with more urgency. "We're from Shi- the next town over. Our parents and the police are working to push the monsters back so you can escape!"

"No man can have any hope of facing these beast!" The preacher called back. "Only an act of God will send them back to the abyss from wince they came!"

"But the acts of good men are needed now to save lives! Please don't let their sacrifices go to waste!" A girl's voice now pleaded from the outside, the villagers could hear sobs in her words.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lavender was doing the best she could to make sobbing noises as she pleaded their false warning to the suspicious villagers. Phoenix skeptically shook his head at Lavender's and Xeal's attempts to coax the villagers from their sanctuary. He knew they could easily chop down the door with his blades or Mint, who kept look out for the monsters they had just chased away in case they came back, could blow the door down with her wavelength.

However it would not be that easily. Just the other day, the group was given a mission to investigate the strange happenings here. Reports from the nearby towns said that there had been little to no contact from the village. No carriages could be seen clambering down the road and no workers could be seen out in the fields. And most disturbing of all, an unrecognizable corpse was found just on the village's outskirts.

Now, only under the most serious sounding of predicaments did Shibusen ever work within the confines of an Amish village, whose very way of life gave them a skeptical suspicion of the Grim reaper's work. Thus the need for a cover story.

Lavender sighed with relief as the doors of the chapel creaked open. A small group of men led the way with pitchforks raised in defense. The group of survivors seemed to be made up of women, children and elderly; most of the men must have tried to ward off the threat, to their demise.

"Alright. We salvaged a few carriages and found some horses to take you to the next town where you should be safe." Xeal said as the villagers clambered to their salvation. A few stopped to thank the strangely dressed teens. Some muttered disgust when they saw Phoenix's ginger colored hair and the shortness of the girls' skirts. The man who must have been a preacher blessed them in their endeavors and ran to catch up with his neighbors.

"Well that was easy enough. Now what do we do with this thing?" Mint asked as she walked around to the side of the church where they hid the only victim of their surprise assault after the rest of its small group retreated in fright. They hid the corpse so as not to startle the locals.

"What is it?" Mint looked ready to puke after giving it a closer look. At first the creature looked like it was just the biggest centipede in the world, but closer inspection showed the creature's head to be that of a crow, though it still possessed the mandibles of its greater half, it also possessed twin colossal black wings which it had been using to glide straight into the great double doors. Its massive body was covered in a purple exo-skeleton which possessed the durability of scales. They were eventually able to kill it with Mint's wavelength.

"It's appears to be a chimera of some kind." Xeal ever familiar with the practices of his lineage stated. "Only a witch or enchanter of great skill could have pulled this off."

"And there's more of them to boot." Phoenix added in as he returned to his weapon form as Xeal caught him and split him into two for better movement. Lavender took her form as a sanjiegun as Mint collapsed her many segmented parts so she could hold her better.

"Should we call in for back up now that we know the nature of this incident?" Mint asked.

Xeal shook his head as he turned toward the direction the monsters ran to. "There's no way a pack that size could have done this alone. We should investigate and see just how big this infestation is." The two made off for the middle of the town at a jog.

"Yep. Pest control's got nothing on us." Phoenix joked.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Back with the villagers**

It wasn't long after the good people of Corn Hallow left their infested village that they realized they were being pursued.

From the corn fields they scurried forth like a great swarm. Dozens of chittering and hopping rodents the size of dogs. Their bodies possessed the scaly and hairy appearance of fleas, reinforced with the many great leaps and bounds they made towards the horse drawn buggies. The drivers hurried their frightened mounts forward but the ones who weren't lucky enough to make it into buggies were beginning to be picked off as the creatures pounced upon them and began to pick the writhing body clean. All skin, muscle, hair and even bones were gobbled away, leaving only a bloody bundle of clothing.

One little girl was left behind. She cried over the bundle of clothes that had been her father as the furry locust surrounded her. They chattered hungrily, biting and fighting each other for the first bite.

The girl closed her eyes as the first monster jumped for her and suddenly, a great whooshing sound came from over head.

"Filthy beast!"

The girl opened her eyes to see the decapitized head of the rat looking into her eyes. She scrambled backwards, into the legs of her savior. She looked up, right into the green eyes of a being of complete shadow.

"Do not fear little one. I will lead you out of here." The black glad man said to her with a reassuring smile.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Buzz._

Xeal suddenly held up his hands to halt their march. "Does anyone else hear that?"

"I do." Mint answered. A low buzzing had begun to fill the air. The two meisters stood back to back in preparation of whatever ambush awaited them.

"Eek!" Mint jumped at Lavender's shrill scream. "Get them off! Get them off!" She cried. Mint took a closer look at her partner's shaft. Small black dots were moving about the wooden handle.

"Flies?"

_BUZZ!_

"Is it just me or is it getting louder?" Phoenix was covering his ears from his reflection in his blade.

_Crash!_

The group turned in the direction the loud rumble came from. The flies in the air were buzzing and reeling about frantically. Xeal smacked his cheek when he realized one of them had bitten him. Then the source of the upset came into view.

They couldn't exactly tell what it was. All they knew was that it was big, for they could make out what may have been the top of its head moving toward them above the roofs of the buildings. The huge black mass had just rounded a small corner allowing its massive torso to appear in full.

It didn't seem to have a face. Or a head or neck. It did however possess a torso as wide a tank and arms as big as sewer pipes. It's lower half finally came into view and the companions were surprised to see that it didn't possess legs either. It just seemed to move across the ground like a wave.

"Okay… I'm officially creeped out." Mint stated as she released one of Lavender's poles, while still holding the other two together, she began to twirl the chained pole like a nunchuck. Xeal reconnected Phoenix into double voulge mode as he continued to swat at the flies swarming around them.

"**Kill."** The low rumble seemed to come from their colossal adversary.

"Great. It speaks too." Phoenix grumbled.

"**Kill. Kill. KILL!" **With that being said the giant swung its fist downward, attempting to squash its tiny prey like the insects buzzing around them. The two teens separated, jumping to opposite sides of the huge appendage as it came down where they had been standing.

"**KILL!"** The beast then slid its fist to the side, the colossal back hand charging straight toward Xeal.

"Witch Destroyer!" Thinking quickly, Xeal pulled off a hasty resonance, just in time to slice through the incoming hand at the wrist. The colossal appendage hit the ground with a heavy thud, but instead of just hitting the ground lifeless, it seemed to lose its shape and disperse into a buzzing black cloud.

"It's made of flies!" Mint shouted in astonishment as she jumped out of the way of the biting swarm of insects.

The swarm then changed directions and flew straight into the massive bulk of their host, prompting a new hand to regrow where the first had been. The hand then folded itself into the form of a spiked mace.

"I really hate bugs." Lavender commented as Mint smashed her wavelength empowered club into the oncoming mace. The wavelength did its job, causing droves of the buzzing mass to fall dead to the ground. She continued her assault as she and the black giant battered their respected clubs against each other.

"Halo Fang!" Distracted by its duel with Mint, the mass of flies didn't see Xeal jumping in, spinning Phoenix around as a giant golden ring in his hands. The technique cut through the beast's right flank, causing more flies to fall and even making the formally unflinching monster to roar out in pain as it gripped its wounded side.

"It doesn't seem to like your magic bro." Xeal shared his friend's grin. This just got easier.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Avenger Fury!" The villagers watched in awe at their savior's power. He flexed his fingers together and began to slice through the rat like beasts with a flurry of karate chops, his hands sparking with a violent blue aura.

The little girl watched with an open mouth as the heroic figure set his sights on the last of his opponents, a flying centipede with the head of a crow.

The blue energy began to build up around his legs. The beast circled before dive bombing the seemingly grounded man. The shadowy man then took to the air with a mighty leap, his legs split apart like a pair of scissors.

"Hell's Maw!" His legs immediately clamped together when they reached the flying chimera's neck. The beast gave out a surprised caw before its head fell from its neck and it crashed to the ground lifeless.

The mysterious hero hit the ground softly. He turned to admire his work. Kishin eggs were strewn across the road, owner less. He lifted his hand skyward, prompting the souls to fly to his out stretched hand where they disappeared as into thin air.

"Thank you so much sir!" The little girl ran toward him, grabbing his leg in a thankful embrace. He smiled down to her and patted her head.

"Your welcome, but knock off the sir stuff. I'm only 19, but let's make that our little secret. Okay?" He whispered the last part which she eagerly answer with a nod of her head. She then ran off to join the group of villagers who gathered around in amazement.

On closer inspection they could tell he seemed to resemble one of those city folk kind of super heroes. He wore a jet black motor-bike style jacket, with metal plates on the chest to resemble muscles, a pair of matching black pants with steel toed boots. Wrapped around his shoulder was a red bandana. He had inky black hair, which was messily styled, and covering the top half of his face was a strange metallic opera mask like visor which left tiny slits for them to see his disturbing green eyes.

"We thank you with all our hearts." The elder said as the other villagers nodded in agreement. "Please tell us your name stranger."

He grinned at this and pulled off a showy back flip. "I thought you'd never ask!" He then pulled in his left fist and pointed his left hand skyward. "I am the twilight defender of justice!" He then began to lower his hand in a slow karate chop. "I am the whisper of fear to the ears of evildoers! He then pulled in his left and punched his right out forward. "Boku no maiwa: Kage Senshi Kei!" (My name is shadow soldier Kei!) He then flexed his hand into the form of the letter K.

The children began to cheer at the display. The adults however, sweat dropped, unable to understand the Japanese he mistakenly reverted to or the strange posing.

"Fare well." He then smacked his fist into his chest causing a pillar of black flame to envelop him. He then took off at a run and jumped into the air once more. His flaming countenance became a bouncing blur in the distance.

"What a strange man."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The beast had become the size of a human man after Xeal and Mint had reduced its army of flies by a vast amount. They couldn't move anywhere without stepping on an insect corpse.

"Hm?"

"What's wrong Xeal?" Lavender asked as he picked up one of the dead flies. She then flinched squeamishly as he crushed it between his fingers. The fly had absolutely no mass to it. When he squished it, it became a black stain on his fingers.

"Black Blood?"

"Look!" Xeal raised his head to Mint's cry realizing she was pointing to the collapsing pile of flies before them. A face and a pair of shoulders were becoming uncovered beneath the flies. Xeal and the others stepped back when they saw the familiar face.

"Herriotza?"

The sickly Bios stared at them with blank eyes, though his face seemed to be a mask of pain as he began to tremble.

"Kill. Kill."

"Has he finally lost it?" Phoenix commented but fell silent as the next unexpected thing occurred.

Black streams were running from Beltza's eye's down to his cheeks.

"Maybe his mascaras running." Phoenix joked pitifully.

"No." Xeal replied. "They're tears. Tears of blood."

"Kill. Kill… Kill me."

The mass of flies had suddenly sprung back to life, enveloping the trembling Bios in a cocoon of his own. The flies then took to the air with their captive host and disappeared into the distance.

Xeal and Mint could only watch with pure astonishment.

"What's going on?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yep. Two in one week and the next shouldn't be too far behind.

Next time: Xeal's group catches up with Gabe's only to find another mummy in their midst. And a certain Death Scythe has a run-in with Malus.

Till next time

I do not own Soul Eater.


	25. Troubles brewingpreview

**DespicableD: Big surprise for you guy's after this.**

**Trouble's brewing. Malus vs. Death Scythe Nagi**

**Death Room**

Xeal, Phoenix, Mint and Lavender waited while the Grim Reaper mulled over the report they had just presented to him. "And you have no idea what may have been wrong with this Bio you met?" He finally asked.

"No sir." Xeal answered. "It seemed as if he was being controlled by something, but he didn't stick around long enough for us to figure out what. Most likely whoever was manipulating him saw the danger of us defeating him and summoned him back."

"Most likely." The reaper agreed. He reviewed the mission report once again until he came to the villager's interviews. "And what about this "Kage Senshi Kei"? Did any of you see him?"

"No sir." It was Mint this time. "By the time we joined back up with the civilians he had apparently already handled the situation. We assumed he was back up sent by you sir."

"I'm afraid we have no one in Shibusen who goes by that call name; though his appearance intrigues me." The reaper tapped his chin thoughtfully, and then tapped the other side for good measure. "I'll have Black Star and Angela look into it, for now I believe you may wish to head to the infirmary where you'll find the rest of your team." His amused smile caused them to look to each other nervously.

"Ten bucks says Muramasa finally went and put either Rob or Gabe in a coma." Phoenix joked while he led them out. "I'll take that bet." Mint answered with a giggle. Shinigami soon realized that Xeal wasn't moving to leave.

"Yes?"

"Sir-" Xeal started thinking hard on the words. "About Herriotza-"

Shinigami held up a hand to stop him. "I understand your personal reservations with fighting him. As a half witch you feel responsible for the victims of your race. But that cannot change the fact that in his current state he had killed a good majority of the villagers in Corn Hallow. Until an alternative can be found, we must accept that we may have to bring him down." Xeal stiffened at this but remained silent.

"I understand sir. That is all." And he soon followed his friends out the door.

KID sighed. "What happened to the days when only adults had to make the hard choices? Now it seems we live in a world where kids have to grow up much too fast."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Northern Quebec**

It was a rare phenomenon for Shibusen agents to report to a village of Native Canadian Indians and even rarer occurrence for the one of them to be a Death Scythe.

"So, you are the hunters of one-hundred spirits?" The village chief, a large man who wore what seemed to be an elk skin coat and smoking from a clay pipe, addressed the two men before him. Both of them were Japanese with auburn hair but that was where the similarities ended.

The first, the aforementioned Death scythe, clearly did not think to dress for the colder Canadian climate for he wore only a sleeveless camo shirt, with fingerless gloves and black combat pants as his only warm clothing. His brown hair was styled in a spiky flat top. "Y-yeah w-were here to s-s-solve your pest control problem." His attempt at arrogance was thwarted by his shivering.

"What Nagi-san means is that we will do all we can to stop whatever has been threatening your village." The meister, who seemed to possess more foresight, wore a blue down jacket with a white, long sleeve undershirt, also with black combat pants. His hair was slightly lighter and reached farther down to cover the nape of his neck.

"Hmm." The chief looked the two over thoughtfully. His shaman, being one who possessed Soul Perception, assured him they possessed brave and strong spirits but his doubts were still strong. "You know of what you hunt? Do you not?"

"A Wendigo." The meister, whose name was Saejima Daisuke, answered. "Your people call it the _Outiko_."

"Yes. "The starving glutton"," The yellow eyed cannibal"." The chief reiterated smoking on his pipe more rapidly. "Many nights ago we heard the death screams of one of our scouts. When we investigated we found only his spirit and his bones."

"It left his soul?" Nagi asked confused.

"Yes. _Outiko_ cares nothing for man's spirits. He only wants the flesh around it. He only eats. And as he eats, he starves."

'Sounded like he had a pretty full meal to me.' Nagi thought, though he knew it would offend the chief so he kept it to himself. "So how do we kill it?"

"You do not kill _Outiko_."

"What do you mean?" Daisuke asked. "Why did you call us down here if we cannot kill the beast?"

"_Outiko_ is everywhere and in everything. You can kill one of its physical incarnations but another will appear." The chief breathed out a hearty puff of smoke. "For _we_ are _Outiko."_ His gesture seemed to imply a general sense.

"Okay… that didn't make any sense." Nagi rudely remarked. "What the hell do y-." Screams from outside caught all three men's attention.

"_Outiko _has come."

"Daisuke let's go!" Nagi held out his hand, which his partner took. Nagi's free hand instantly became a three pronged trident tip. His body flashed white as it became the wooden shaft of a trident, made from orange wood with the image of a serpent painted across its frame.

"Aim for its heart." The chief said as Daisuke exited the tent.

"Where is it?" Daisuke asked aloud as he surveyed the village, the sound of more screaming caught his attention. "Found you." Rounding a bend he caught sight of one of the village women cradling a man in her arms as tears poured from her eyes.

"Where?" He asked the women, he didn't know there language but he hoped his meaning got across. She looked into his eyes and he knew she understood him. She pointed in the direction to the woods. Before Daisuke could give chase she caught his wrist, she seemed to be begging him to do something but what he couldn't understand as she released him to give chase.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He'd been carefully prowling the woods for what felt like an hour. Not a single track, sound or even a disturbance to the trail. This creature was smart.

"Daisuke? Do you smell that?" Nagi asked up to his partner, probably a little to loudly considering what they were hunting. But he agreed, there was a foul scent in the air. "I think it's coming from over here." Daisuke prodded the bush carefully with his trident, incase this was some kind of ambush. Confident that there was nothing waiting for them inside the bush he brushed the greenery aside and immediately scrambled back at what he saw.

"God!" He turned his head aside and covered his mouth as vomit threatened to come up. He finally knew what the woman was asking of him. The beast had stolen her child and now he had finally found it.

_Snarl._

"Daisuke!"

The meister just rolled out of the way as their quarry clumsily pounced at him from its hiding place in the trees. It plopped into the ground with a sickening thud and gave out a pitiful snarl as its arm bent at an obscene angle.

"Not very monstrous in my opinion." Nagi chuckled at the pathetic sight of their prey thrashing about in pain. The creature still appeared human, but its human aspects were easily covered up by it more monster like additions. It appeared to be a human male of fairly good height; it was taller than Daisuke. It appeared muscular but the sight of its receding stomach line distracted from that. Its nails were unnaturally long and its light colored hair was covered with mud and blood. It was naked from the waist down only covered by a tattered pair of trousers.

"Let's put this thing out of its misery." Nagi stated to which Daisuke nodded, revenge for the child clear in his mind. He brought the tip just over the creature where he believed he'd find the heart.

"Now, now. Let's not be too hasty." Daisuke jumped at the sound of foot steps behind him.

"You!" Nagi growled when he recognized the familiar face. He never forgot who it was that broke his nose those 2 years ago.

Malus gave Daisuke a wide berth as he rounded to the pitiful Wendigo's side. He tutted as he looked over the beast's injury. His arms suddenly took a firm hold on the creature's forearm.

_Pop! Crack!_

The Wendigo howled in pain, to its medic's amusement. He had popped the dislocated appendage back in place though the creature's cradling of its injured arm showed it was in immense pain. "I believe it's time we left." Daisuke then noticed the collar and chain wrapped about its neck which Malus held with an air of ownership.

"You tamed this thing?" Nagi asked astonished that anyone would want to keep one of these things as a pet.

"And created him." The Devil Buster look alike answered confidently. "I had just let him out for an afternoon stroll when you Shibusen folk scared him. And now look at him."

"If you are the beast's owner then we must demand that you turn him over for immediate destruction." Clearly not picking up on the obvious confession.

"What?" Malus mock exclaimed. He then laughed as he rested a hand on the beast's head which it fearfully shirked away from. "I'm afraid it's much too early in the game for me to allow you to eliminate him just yet."

"What game?"

"Oh you'll all know soon enough, but for now." He began to walk off, his rabid charge in tow.

"Hold it!" Malus turned to the Death scythe's accusing tone. "Who are you? Why do you look like the Devil Buster?"

"Ah!" Malus clapped his hands together happily. "You know my brother do you? Then could you deliver a message to him for me?" He leaned in close as if to whisper. "I look forward to killing everyone he loves, right in front of him." He cackled then at Daisuke and Nagi's stunned faces.

_Shing!_

Malus's cackling ceased when the trident tip appeared in front of his eyes.

"Declaring war on one Shibusen agent is to declare war on us all." Daisuke threatened.

Malus smirked as frosty mist swirled around his left arm. "That is my intention." He then slashed forward as Hrunting appeared on his arm. Daisuke only had time to back peddle out of the way before the icicle blade took off his head. He attempted to bring around his trident for a counter attack but his attempt was thwarted by a nearby tree.

"Not enough room in here for a trident." Daisuke commented.

"Then we'll try something smaller." Nagi answered. His shaft suddenly collapsed in on itself and shrunk to fit only one hand. Now wielding a shinobi style Sai, Daisuke reverse handed his weapon and charged the grinning Malus. Their blades clashed together sending sparks flying.

"Give it up asshole. You're fighting a full fledged Death Scythe and a three star meister. You don't have a chance in hell." Nagi arrogantly bragged.

Malus parried another of Daisuke's stabs and then gave a shrill whistle.

_Snarl!_

Daisuke had only enough to time to dodge another stab as the beast pounced on his back, digging its sharpened teeth into his shoulder. Daisuke bit back the pain and clubbed the pommel of his Sai into the beast's nose, still it held on.

"You're mine!" Malus charged in, Hrunting leading.

"Not quite!" Daisuke side stepped and caught the icicle sword between the middle and left prongs of his Sai and twisted. Malus stepped back as the end of his blade broke off.

"Impressive." He praised the duo. "But not enough if you wish to live." He gave another shrill whistle prompting the Wendigo to release its hold on Daisuke. The three star meister rubbed his shoulder, relieved to be free of that monster's bite.

"Allow me to show you how it's done." Malus grinned as he grabbed his pets shoulder. The Wendigo snarled and began to glow blood red. A loud whirring sound joined his growling.

"That thing's a weapon!" Daisuke exclaimed.

Malus chuckled manically as he rested the double chain-saw staff over his shoulder. The wood of its shaft looked rotten and the teeth of its blade was covered in rust but the weapon still gave off a feeling of menace.

"Daisuke we need to end this now!"

"Affirmative!"

"Soul Resonance!"

An orange energy orb surrounded the two. Nagi's sai returned to trident mode. Golden light seemed to flow between the three prongs.

"Dragoon!"

The light flared up as 2' energy blade sprang from the trident's head.

"So that's how you want it." Malus grinned and began to twirl his weapon in a rowing motion. Icy wind began to pick up all around him as his weapon roared louder and louder.

Daisuke immediately sprang upward, using the tree limbs to raise him higher with every jump. Maximum height reached, he dived to where he would be directly above the waiting Malus and he fell, his spear pointing downward.

"Hellbound!"

"Rabid Blizzard!"

The two finishers clashed as the mist covered blade of Malus's weapon met Nagi's energized spear tip. The insuing explosion fell several trees, causing the area to fill with a blinding dust layer.

"Did we get him?" Nagi asked as Daisuke covered his face from the dust.

"Not bad, dogs of the reaper." Malus's degrading voice seemed to resonate from everywhere. "I must be going now for I have a party to prepare for. But since I'm generous, I will leave you with a parting gift."

Daisuke caught his so called "gift" as it just came for his head. The dust cleared enough for him to make out what he was holding. It appeared to be the end of a cane. And on its head, was the symbol of the kishin.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Shibusen Infirmary**

"Ppphhhhbbbtttt!" Phoenix tried hard to stifle his laugh. Though he couldn't see his eyes, he knew that the man in the infirmary bed was glaring daggers at him through all the gauss wrapped around his head. "Best ten bucks I ever lost!" He chortled as he handed the money to the giggling Mint.

"Sorry." Maka apologized embarrassedly. "I guess I got a little too excessive with my punishment."

'Yeah. Excessive she says.' Soul thought as he rubbed the bandages wrapped around his forehead from his own punishment.

The mummy gave a muffled retort.

"Can't hear you Gabe." Robyn said as he took a nearby scalped to open a mouth hole for his friend to talk through.

"You beat me eight times with that monstrous book of yours and used Soul for the ninth. Screw off." Gabe gave a cold retort, causing Maka to look down sadly. "Ow ow ow OW!" Maka looked up to find the brown haired girl with the long hair grabbing Gabriel by the cheek painfully despite the encompassing gauss.

"Gabriel don't be mean. Now apologize to Maka-senpai." Allison ordered.

"Ow! Alright I apologize! Ow!" He called out prompting Allison to release him with a satisfied sigh.

"Oh wow!" Maka backed away as Sora, Lavender, Hana and Rosa got real close to her and stared at her with starry eyes. "I can't believe were standing next to The Legendary Kishin Slayer, Maka Albarn!" Lavender exclaimed.

"Well…" Maka blushed embarrassed at their looks. "I've been Maka Evans lately, though I suppose that doesn't have the same ring does it?" Soul flinched at her comment.

"But I have to say. You're all pretty amazing yourselves. Especially you." She said to a blushing Allison. "No one besides me and Hisako have been able to keep Gabriel in check like you do."

"Helps when the lassie has the Buster wrapped around her little finger." Fauna gave Allison a playful bump, prompting the girl to blusher deeper and attempt to hide her face.

"Is that so?" Maka turned her amused smile to the wounded Devil Buster. Somehow she knew he was blushing under all his wrappings as well as he crossed his arms as if he had nothing to hide.

"Well then…" Maka grabbed her husbands shoulder. "Soul, maybe we should have a slow dance track ready especially for them at the party this week." (DD: Bum bum bum!)

"Hah! Gabe dancing now that I gotta see!" Soul chuckled, with Wu and Robyn joining in.

"Ooh! I'd love to loan you a dress if you need one Rogers-chan!" Sora offered.

The meister and weapon looked at each other and at everyone around them. And then in unison they said: "EH!"

**Heh heh. Oh how I love to torture my Oc's. If you want to better understand the chief's words look up Wendigo Psycosis.**

**And now:**

**Preview:**

**A city undersiege.**

"Greetings, residents of Death City." Civilian and Shibusen alike gasped as the blond man with streaked back hair suddenly appeared on every monitor, t.v. screen and video phone alike.

**A threat of biblical proportions.**

"For too long has the Reaper and his mongrels brought only temporary peace to our dying world. And today a new God takes his place to lead the world in a great rebirth!"

**A devil thrown into the lowest pits.**

"I'm sure many of you watching me now may mistake me for a familiar face." He said smiling evilly. "And in respect for the dead I will make my true identity clear. My name is Malus Ringrose. And the man you are looking for, is here!" He then turned the scrying glass to reveal a beaten and bloody figure, his body completely covered in ice and a fragment of a crystalline blade embedded in his chest.

The time has come and so have I  
>I'll laugh last cause you came to die<br>The damage done the pain subsides  
>And I can see the fear clear when I look in your eye.<p>

I never kneel and I'll never rest  
>You can tear the heart from my chest<br>I'll make you see what I do best,  
>I'll succeed as you breathe your very last breath.<p>

Now I know how the angel fell [JUST KNEEL]  
>I know the tale and I know it too well [JUST BOW]<br>I'll make you wish you had a soul to sell [soul to sell]  
>When I strike you down and send you straight to hell<p>

My army comes from deep within  
>Beneath my soul-beneath my skin<br>As you're ending, I'm about to begin  
>My strength His bane~and I will never give in.<p>

I'll tell you now I'm the one to survive  
>You never break my faith or my stride<br>I'll have you choke on your own demise  
>I make the angel scream, and the devil cry<p>

**A rage like no other.**

"You steal so many innocent lives for your precious destiny! If the world can only be saved like that. **Then I will burn your new paradise with these cursed hands!"**

**Soul Eater Fury the season finale.**

"Devil Dynamite!"


	26. The last calm

**Hey all! This is the last chapter before we kick off the season finale. It will be a slow chapter so bear with me.**

**The last calm. To dance with a devil?**

"Woot! Party!" The call of excitement resounded down the empty streets of Death City. Leaving the path clear for the group of formally dressed teens.

"I'm pretty sure they know there's a party tonight, Fletch." Wu said to the increasingly excitable Robyn as he started pumping his arms expectantly. Wu wore a traditional Chinese black Chang-Shan with white sleeves.

"Spoil sport." Robyn muttered. He wore a green tux with a red tie ending with an arrow point and still wearing his favorite green cap. "Ah! Who cares? The music, the food, the excuse for close contact with girls. I can't wait!"

"You realize that if the girls were here, you'd be beaten within an inch of your life." Daniel stated. He adjusted the red ascot around his neck. He wore a white; military like formal garb which he explained belong to his grandfather when he was a navy officer.

"Where the hell is Gabe?" Phoenix asked. He wore a black and orange tux with a gold colored tie, hanging out of his collar casually, and cufflinks with phoenix prints on them. Xeal, who wore a black and red tux with silver cufflinks and tie, checked his watch. The majority of Team Diablon had decided to show up in groups. The girls were probably at the party already, while the boys were out searching the streets for their absent team member.

"He was supposed to meet us ten minutes ago." As it was, the boys had decided to show up fashionably late, more to miss Shinigami's mandatory speech about the school's founding, which this party was used to commemorate.

"Who knows? Maybe he's trying to make some dramatic entrance to get on Black Star's nerves." Robyn joked.

"This dramatic enough for you?" The boy's jumped when they realized they had just passed their absent friend. He was leaned up against a wall with his arms crossed, apparently waiting for them. He wore a simple outfit of black slacks and a white dress shirt under his normal black blazer. Thomas's white fedora rested comfortably on his head.

"We're late you know." He commented as they ascended the steps to the school.

"It's called being fashionably late Gabe." Wu retorted.

"It's seems more like being an hour late." Gabriel shot back.

"Quit arguing you two. I see the girls." Daniel said as they reached the top steps.

"Boys were over here!" Mint called, waving them over. Both she and Lavender wore Chengsam, with Mint's being a bright red with a black dragon pattern and Lavender's being purple with a yellow flower pattern. Lavender had the extensions taken out of her hair.

"You boy's are late. You know?" Rosa commented. She wore a pink dress, which ended just above her knees, and red heels. Her long hair was brushed straight.

"Ooh a man in uniform." Fauna said as she took in Daniel's garb. "Very sexy." She wore a sleeveless white dress that was cut low enough to be tasteful, but still showed off her cleavage. Her normally pony-tailed blond hair was pulled up in a bun.

"Indeed." Hana readjusted Daniel's ascot. She wore a bright green dress with gold heels.

"Where are Sora and the others?" Wu asked noticing their missing team mates.

"Sora demanded that she work on their outfits so they said they would be a little late." Lavender answered. The boy's remembered that from the other day in the infirmary.

"We're here." The group turned to see Sora, Mariam and Sakuya coming to the tops of the steps. Wu's jaw dropped in shock at the site of Sora in a frilly black and white Lolita dress. Her black hair held up in a pony tail. Marie and Sakuya were dressed more modestly, with Marie wearing a yellow silk dress that hugged her figure. Sakuya wore a frilly white dress shirt with a pink skirt that came up to her knees.

"Where's Allison?" Gabe asked not seeing her.

Sora shot the other girls knowing winks and returned back down the stairs. The group could hear an argument starting.

"C'mon he's up there waiting for you."

"But I look-"

"You look gorgeous, now let's go."

"Sora-chan!"

After much struggling, Sora was finally able to get the reluctant Allison up the stairs. She hugged herself in embarrassment. She wore a long black dress that ended low on her neck, showing off her cleavage, and had slits that showed off more leg than she'd like. Her hair was let out so the angel hair pen was pinned to one of the straps of her dress.

The boy's were stunned silent. Wu finally gave an impressed whistle. "Nice work Sora."

The group then turned back to see what the flustered meister's date was going to say. Allison raised her head to look him in the eyes. She could barely make out his face under the brim of his hat. "Do you like it?" She finally mustered the courage to say.

It was silent for a second before Gabriel finally took off his hat and gave a reassuring smile. "You look great." Her face brightened up at this.

"Alright, alright. Enough awkwardness. It's party time!" Robyn shouted shuffling them all in. Gabe placed the white fedora back on his head as he lagged behind. He was very aware of the increasingly red blush that was covering his face and the fainting spell starting to come over him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey KID. How come you don't look like you're having a good time?" Patti asked her deep in thought meister. He ignored her at first as he rubbed both sides of his chin in contemplation.

"Keep ignoring her and she might draw half a mustache on you." Liz commented, just as KID noticed a black sharpie moving toward his face.

"Patti don't you dare!" He said as he kept the manic Thompson sister away from his symmetrical face.

"So what's eatin' ya." Soul asked.

"Is it the message from Daisuke and Nagi?" Maka had hit the mark.

"The Bios' strange behavior and now this." KID explained his thought aloud. "From what I've researched into T.R. Mori, I know he'd never stoop to this level of cruelty with his subordinates. We have to be ready to face whatever threat has arisen to replace him." The group of veterans nodded as one and then turned their attention back to the festivities.

"Hard to believe it's been 15 years." Soul commented. "I still remember that night when we fought Medusa and when Asura and the Original Lord Death duked it out right in the city skies."

"Yeah. It's nice to have moments like these." Maka agreed. "It's great to see the next generation getting the chance to act like kids for once." The group adults smiled towards the crowd of teenagers mixing and mingling with an innocence rarely seen in the dangerous business they volunteered for. "And speaking of the next generation." She smiled as Gabriel and company filed into the crowded dance hall.

"Hey! You guy's made it." Soul called over to the teens. "You know how late you guy's are?"

"Just felt like being fashionably late." Phoenix explained.

"I think he's got you beat." Liz said as she pointed behind them.

"Yahoo!" A tuxedo clad Black Star raced into Dance hall, knocking aside students as he jumped straight toward the stage and grabbed the mic. "Rejoice insignificant fledglings! For the great Ore-sama, Black Star has allowed his god-like visage to shine down upon you!" His introduction continued for several more minutes before Tsubaki finally ran in and tiredly snatched the mic from him as she panted an apology.

"Angela's not here?" KID guessed.

"Nah. She'd rather hang out with Blair." Black Star answered. "But don't worry cause I the great-."

"Yeah. Yeah. We already heard it." Wu interrupted. Then he saw the group of girls huddled together and whispering their way. "Don't look now Dan. But I think you've got more admirers." He chuckled.

"I don't believe they're attention is on me." Daniel said as the group followed the girls's stares.

Gabriel had planted himself in a nearby chair and also was aware of the girls staring his way. He gave a casual wave, which instead of returning it, the group shuffled away in fright.

"Jerks." Mint stated as she and the others attempted to console the supposedly hurt Gabriel but he merely shrugged and pulled his hat low as if to cover his face.

"It's fine. Even if I've done some good, I still have an infamous reputation to clear up."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It wasn't long before the hall filled with music. All the meisters and weapons hit the dance floors with their respected dates and moved in time with the beat. Loud pop and jazz music called all but a few down to dance. Of that few…

Hisako sighed as she watched all the young students laughing and having the time of their lives. She saw members of Team Diablon mingling together with the crowd. Mint was off on her own. Daniel was trying to quell an argument with his three dates over who danced with him first. Lavender had led the timid Xeal onto the dance floor and began shaking her hips to the music as he shakily attempted to follow. Phoenix was busying himself by trying to find a dance partner. And Robyn was leading Mariam in an easy two step.

"They're all having fun." Natsumi sat down beside her melancholy friend. She giggled and pointed over to where KID was leading a laughing Patti and a grumbling Liz in that weird leg up dance he would only dance to.

"Oh this reminds me of my times as a student when…" She started her usual allegory when she noticed Hisako wasn't listening. "Another reason to miss him I guess."

"Miss who?" Hisako lied, mostly to herself. "It's not like I would dance with that loser even if he was here."

"You're talking to someone who hasn't seen their boyfriend in six years, honey. You're not fooling me." Natsumi's face lit up when Gabriel took a seat beside the two women. "I guess I'll leave you two to talk then." And she soon shuffled back into the crowd of onlookers.

"Shouldn't you be dancing with your date?" Hisako asked.

"You know it's the funniest thing." He started. "Even though I'm not one for dancing, when I asked her, she replied that she would rather sit out for the first dance. And then she told me where to find a more willing dance partner."

Hisako blinked in surprise. "Are you implying that you would like to dance? With me?"

The beginning of a slow song had suddenly started up. "Perfect timing I'd say." Gabe smiled in answer. "I can only slow dance."

"I don't know." Hisako said nervously. "What would people think if they saw a student dance with a teacher?"

In answer to this new dilemma, Gabe pulled his fedora low to cover his face. "I think I could pass as Thomas like this." He then held out his hand to her.

She finally understood the meaning behind his proposition. She smiled and took his hand as he led her to the floor. At this point, Soul had taken Maka aside as the two entered the dance floor hand in hand. Daniel had finally settled on a partner; as_ he_ led Fauna down to have the first dance. Sora basically had to drag Wu down but he eventually stopped complaining and placed one hand on Sora's hip.

Gabriel followed Wu's example and did the same as the music picked up.

(Hit the music: Fatal Fury ost Fly away)

_So there's you, _

_like the sun, setting west_

_Where you've been…_

_Shadows…_

_Are loneliest_

_Now you're leaving, what more to say_

_Eternal castaway_

'His shoulders have gotten broader.' Hisako thought as she and Gabe swayed to the music. 'He's just as tall as Thomas now.'

She suddenly felt the hands wrapped around her own to hold tighter and the steps became surer, almost more experienced. She looked up into the face of her partner and gasped.

Pale blond locks were replaced with brown. Intense maroon eyes had become gentle amber. The youthful complexion had disappeared to become a mature countenance.

'Thomas!' Tears threatened to flow as she smiled warmly into the grinning face of the one man she ever loved.

_Unlike me, you see, you can't help,…_

_Living free_

_Forgive me, but my love…_

_I'm not that way_

_My time is done, but yours is new_

_If you dream your dreams… You may_

_Know hope_

_Don't you know that you are my hero?_

_And you'll always be… apart of me.._

_Memory_

_Don't you know that you are my hero?_

_You're the me I tried to be… only free_

_Fly away, Fly away, Fly away_

_My hero_

_Fly away, Fly away, Fly away_

_My hero_

Hisako was content to dance forever in Thomas's arms and just as it had begun it was over. The image of Thomas had vanished and Gabriel lifted the hat from his eyes.

Hisako pulled herself free from his hands and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Rogers is lucky to have such a wonderful partner." And just like that her heart was clear. She could no longer just sit by and waste away mourning him.

And she knew that she would always see some part of Thomas. In Gabriel and in the miracle she alone was carrying.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Allison stared out into the wide landscape before her. She got the perfect view from the balcony outside of the dance hall. And despite the chilling night air that made her shiver, she marveled as the light of the full moon showed the vast desert landscape as a surreal nocturnal painting.

A warm jacket was soon covering her shoulders. She smiled because she knew who it was immediately.

"Nice night." Gabriel commented as he joined her side against the balcony railing.

"Ehm. It really is." Allison closed her eyes as a chilly night breeze flowed over her. "Hisako seems to be feeling better." She commented.

"Yeah." Gabe said, acting a little guilty. "Sorry for asking for that favor. You were probably looking forward to the dancing more than I was."

"Not really." She assured. "I don't really know how to dance." She replied embarrassedly.

Gabe looked at her silently for abit. Finally, to Allison's shock, Gabe placed his hand atop hers. "In that case. Why don't we join the next dance so I can show you how."

"I thought you didn't want to dance in front of all those people." She asked shyly.

In answer he pulled her close to him and planted a kiss on her cheek, causing her to blush red. "If you're my partner, I can do anything." The smiling couple slowly walked hand in hand to rejoin the others on the dance floor.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Okay. I'll just say it. Not my best work. But it's necessesary to truly kick off the season finale. So until next time.**

**I do not own Soul Eater or its characters**

**I do not own any songs utilized in this fanfic.**


	27. Sound the call for war

**Sorry I'm a week late guy's. I just had no will power to write last week. But anyway,**

**Ready… ACTION!**

**Sound the bugle for war! The cruelest angel calls for change?**

**Somewhere within Death City**

"Are you sure of the wisdom of this venture, my son?" Plaguea asked from her reflection in the mirror like device, known as a scrying glass, that Malus held in his hand.

"I am quite certain mother." Malus grinned wickedly into the mirror. "My brother must know the folly of siding with our enemies. I will bring him back to our side."

"And if he does not comply?" Malus scowled slightly at the concern in his mother's voice. 'How can she be so worried about that filthy traitor?'

"If he does not." The grin returned. "Then it is lucky that it is not his cooperation that we truly need." He cut off the transmission then as he stared in the direction of the festive Shibusen Academy.

"Now Fury. Let us begin our game of Hunter and prey."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Shibusen Academy **

A sudden shudder had pulled the content Devil Buster from his bliss. His head swiveled from side to side as if the cause of his fear was on that very balcony with him. But of course the only ones on the balcony were him and the girl nestled between his arms and lying back against his chest.

"Are you cold?" Allison had mistook his distress as a shiver and offered to return the black coat he had slipped over her shoulders. He immediately replaced the smile that had spread across his face as he declined the offer.

It was getting well close to midnight at this point, but the party inside was still going strong. Hisako had been one of the first to go home. Tsubaki soon followed, with a drunk to the point unconscious Black Star in tow. Many of the other teachers and students had also gone home, leaving Team Diablon and a few dozen party hyped stragglers still behind.

Gabriel and Allison had shared several dances at this point, and Daniel had danced with each of his partners twice.

"It's been a great night." Gabe commented as the two watched the sleeping Death city from their view on the balcony.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." Allison smiled warmly up at him. "It's been a wonderful first date."

They both blushed at her comment. This was technically their first date. This was new to both of them since Allison had never had a boyfriend before and Gabe could hardly remember the last time a girl close to his own age had ever wanted to speak to him.

Allison was suddenly aware of how close their faces seemed to be as well as the longing in Gabriel's eyes. They had kissed more than once before, but both times it had been on the sudden impulse of one or the other.

Allison closed her eyes as Gabriel's fingers caressed her chin, pulling her lips into his. They were only a heartbeat away when:

The sound of franticly shuffling feet caused both of them to jump. Allison blushed deeply at the event occurring as a young couple backed out of the party room. The girl's arms were wrapped around her partner's neck as his arms encircled hers. They both seemed lost in their passionate exchange which made Gabe smile in amusement. He was used to seeing Wu lost.

"Eh hmm!" He coughed to get the two's attention. Wu cursed and swiveled around to give whoever it was disturbing them a piece of his mind. He blushed however when he realized who it was and that he and Sora had been the ones doing the disturbing. Sora giggled, she had drawn the same conclusion.

"Oh. Did you have dibs on this balcony?" Wu sputtered, completely derailed, which caused his friends to laugh at the sight of him so off guard.

"And on that note." Gabriel yawned. "I think I'm going to need some coffee if I'm going to be any use to you guys for the remainder of the night."

"Probably a good idea." Sora commented. "Robyn-kun's talking about taking the party back to his and Marie-chan's place. And we're hoping you could cook something for the after party."

"Can do." He responded as he made a move to leave, he stopped and smacked his fist into his palm. "Oh. Before I forget." He moved back to Allison's side.

She moved as if to give him his blazer back, but he surprised her with a quick peck on the cheek. Sora giggled as Allison blushed red and Wu face-palmed himself, he figured that was partly meant to mock him.

"I'll see you all later!" Gabe called over his shoulder. He made an internal promise to himself that he would, but first.

Time to find out why Malus is in Death City.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gabe's search had brought him to the Shibusen grave yard for the honored fallen. His eyes scowered across the tombstone covered field and it was then that his eyes fell on a familiar head stone.

_**Here lies Thomas Gunn; a true friend and a Well-done man**_

Gabe dropped to a knee before the resting place of his mentor. He pressed Thomas's white fedora to his chest and lowered his head, allowing himself a brief and rare moment to mourn.

A quick movement to his left caught his attention. A black trench coat wearing figure had walked into the light. Gabriel could only see a pair of yellow eyes under the intruder's wide brimmed hat.

"Trying to find contentment?" The thing's voice was raspy, almost electronic.

"None of your business." Gabe responded back and flung himself behind a nearby tree as a spray of gunfire pelted where he had been standing.

The intruder leveled its black armored arm toward the tree, the gun barrel that had sprang from its wrist still smoking. It moved slowly toward its prey's cover, its gun arm pointed ahead and its other hand carrying a ring like weapon called a chakram.

It had just turned the corner, only to find its prey had vanished.

"Improbable." He sputtered in that electronic rasp.

"Not if you look up amateur." The assailant had only turned its head upward when its prey had dropped from his hiding place in the tree's limbs and smashed his foot down on its head.

Gabe brushed the leaves and dirt off his dress shirt while he inspected his would-be assassin. Upon removing the dead creature's hat, he found himself looking into the face of a metallic black skull.

"One of Mori's machines." Gabe deduced. It must have been a newer model because the normal skeleton like frame was replaced by a new more humanoid black metal body. But that wasn't what disturbed Gabriel the most.

On the machine's chest where usually one could see the familiar 'M' emblem that signified one of Mori's products, was a pattern of red roses arranged in circle.

The Ringrose family crest.

"Brutish as always I see." Gabe threw his victim's forgotten chakram at the sound of the familiar voice. Malus easily caught it between his pointer and middle finger. "Your temper hasn't improved either I see. Very good, Fury."

"What are you doing here Malus?" Gabriel demanded as his half brother emerged from the shadows.

"Why I came for the party of course." He said as if he wasn't on Shibusen's most wanted list. "I do apologize for my lateness. But it's never easy to try and look this good and get an entourage assembled in time." He wore a cottony white shirt, with loose sleeves that went pass his wrist. Over that was a gold chest plate with the likeness of a snarling wolf beaten into it. A gold tasset hung from his waist. Silver pauldrons covered his shoulders. He looked as if he were going to battle, but that wasn't what concerned Gabe.

"What do you mean entourage?"

Malus grinned wickedly. "It begins tonight brother. Right here in your little sanctuary."

"What?"

"Tonight our great destiny will come to light." He spread his arms out as if offering a hug. "Return to us brother. With or without you, the Reaper and his forces fall tonight."

"What in hell's name makes you think I'll join you!" Gabe brought his guard up, expecting a fight.

"You hear it don't you?" Malus said, bringing one of his white hands to his eye. "Even cut off from your wavelength you can still hear Surtur's voice. What he demands."

Gabe clenched his fist, wanting so badly to deny it. "Destruction and rebirth."

"Yes." Malus grinned victoriously. "This world is dying. We will save the world by destroying every impurity." He brought one hand up. "The despicable witches who know only corruption and destruction." He brought up his other hand. "The murderous Kishins, who drown the world in blood." He smashed his hands together as if he were squishing something between them. "And the disgusting humans who enslave the world and commit atrocity after atrocity upon it and each other. Let us kill them all!"

Gabe grimaced, unsure. "Do you know what you're asking of me? You want me to help you kill billions only to save a few?"

"What does it matter to you?" Malus drew close. "I know how you must have been treated after all these years. No matter what you do, they will still never accept you."

"Not all of them. Humans are worth more credit than you give them." Gabe argued.

"If that is how you feel, then I can spare them for you." Malus offered.

"What?" Gabriel said, caught off guard by this unusual generosity.

"Join me and we will create a paradise for the next race of humans, your friends included. We can save them from mother's army amassed just outside. All you need do, is take my hand." Malus offered his angelic left arm.

Gabriel stared at the inviting hand, mulling the offer over in his head. He knew there was only one smart decision to make in this circumstance. He could only extend his arm.

A katana whirled through the air, landing in Gabriel's backwards pointing hand. In a flash of silver he sliced forward with the blade. "I refuse!"

Malus jumped back as the sword swiped across his cheek, letting a slow bead of bluish blood to flow out. He flicked the blood away as he stared hatefully at where the blade flew from.

"Nyah nyah. Gotcha!" Angela stuck her tongue out at the scowling Malus.

"Warn the others." Gabe commanded. "I'll hold him off as long as I can."

Angela looked uncertainly at her friend. "Be careful." She said as she faded into invisibility.

"You are a fool." Malus stated as the two squared off.

"No. I understand well that things need to change. But-." Gabe brought his katana back beside him. "I refuse to allow you to have your way. A billion lives is to high a price to protect the world!" His katana began to glow red as he swung forward.

"Phoenix Cannon!"

Malus never moved from his spot as the red crescent blast sailed toward him. He only gave a low whistle.

"Rarr!" A second 'X' shaped slash blast flew from the shadows, colliding with Gabe's and canceling each other out.

Gabe ducked to the side as the wendigo sprang at him from the shadows. The two circled each other, Gabe's maroon eyes staring into the beast's hungry yellow ones.

"Do you like my pet?" Malus casually asked from his leaning position against a nearby tree.

"You know I hate Wendigos." Gabe called back greatly unconcerned. The creature jumped forward, its long nails reaching out to rip him to shreds. Gabe sidestepped and slashed the creature across the back. The wendigo howled in pain and spun on its enemy ferociously. Its body began to vibrate and a low whirr mingled in with its growling.

"Wait a minute." Gabe looked at the creature curiously. "I know you."

In answer the beast howled and pounced forward, twin chain saws erupting from its wrist. Gabe's eyes widened. He held out his katana horizontally to block and struggled against the familiar monster's tearing weapons.

"Sho Ryuusei." The mad Bios paid no attention to his former name and growled savagely as it pressed its weapons harder against Gabe's. "What the hell did you do to him!" Gabe demanded.

"What other way is their to make a Wendigo?" Malus chuckled. "After our last encounter, Mori and his Bios seemed to become rather uppity. So we had them removed, though, feeble willed members of their little group like him have become quite handy."

"Bastard!" Gabriel broke his and Sho's struggle and planted and boot into the Bios stomach to send him reeling back.

"Oh contrare. Last I checked it was you who were the bastard."

Gabe's grip tightened around his katana and his eye's burned with hatred. "Is this a joke to you! Ruining people's lives?"

"I am well within my right to a little fun. I am the next God after all." He said proudly. "In fact." An idea seemed to pop into his head. "I hear you have girl friend. I wonder. Would she be able to tell us apart?"

"Damn you!" Gabe charged forward his katana leading. Malus ducked under the lunge and pressed his palm against Gabriel's torso.

"Sub-zero bite!"

"Aaauuggghh!" The chill spread through him as the katana fell from his weakened grip. Ice raced across his torso, spreading to his legs and covering his face. He tried to reach out for the blade, to try one last stand before the end but his body went dead as he fell back.

"Not so wise to have cut yourself off from your powers now is it?" Malus grinned down at his immobile brother. "Don't worry. This ice won't kill you just yet. No, I want you alive and well for what I have in store for you. When all is done, I will bring you the heads of all your little friends. Let you look into their eyes one last time, before I finally rip out yours." He cackled evilly.

Gabriel's maroon eye's glowed hatefully at the retreating form of his half brother. Only for them to widen as Malus spun back around toward him, Hrunting lunging almost hungrily for him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Lord Death! You need to see this!" KID turned to see one of his students running franticly toward him, holding out what seemed to a video phone.

Soul, Maka , Liz, Patti, and Natsumi crowded around him to see what was so urgent. They blanched as a familiar looking faced appeared on the screen.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey who changed the channel?"

Blair and Bob watched curiously as one of their customers attempted to change the T.V. channel back to the game he was watching but each channel came up as only static until a boy with red eye's and sleeked back blond hair appeared on the screen.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Greetings, residents of Death City." Civilian and Shibusen alike gasped as the blond haired man with streaked back suddenly appeared on every monitor, t.v. screen and video phone alike.

"For too long has the Reaper and his mongrels brought only temporary peace to our dying world. And today a new God takes his place to lead the world in a great rebirth!"

"I'm sure many of you watching me now may mistake me for a familiar face." He said smiling evilly. "And in respect for the dead I will make my true identity clear. My name is Malus Ringrose. And the man you are looking for, is here!" He then turned the scrying glass to reveal a beaten and bloody figure, his body completely covered in ice and a fragment of a crystalline blade embedded in his chest.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Gabe!"

Wu and the others looked on in horror as they stared at the broken form of their friend.

"This can't be." Daniel argued.

"It's gotta be a trick, right?" Mint seemed to beg.

"Allison-chan where are you going?" Sora called as Allison kicked off her heels and ran off on her own.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

'It's not true.' Allison thought to herself as she burst into her and Sakuya's apartment. She dashed into her room and flung off the dress Sora had given her.

'You promised you wouldn't make me worry anymore!' She buttoned on the pink uniform shirt and pulled up the black skirt she always wore to missions.

'You always do things on your own! Don't you trust me?' She pulled on her sneakers and tied her hair up into a braid, clipping the angel pin in place. She pulled Gabriel's blazer on last.

'You had better be alright. Because you're not going to be when I find you.'

She burst through the apartment door and almost tripped when she saw Sakuya already dressed and waiting for her on the front step.

"Well?" Sakuya said to Allison's surprised stare. "Did you think I was just going to let you rush in there with no weapon?"

Allison smiled as she took her best friend's hand. "Thankyou." She said gratefully.

"Well, if you like him I can at least try to tolerate him. Now let's go partner!" She disappeared in a whirlwind of petals leaving the familiar white katana resting in Allison's hand. Allison sped off toward the graveyard, having seen a tombstone from the corner of the images Malus sent.

'Hang on Gabriel. I'm on my way.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Malus returned the scrying glass to his pocket as he worked at unfastening the chain from Sho's neck. Having freed his pet he pointed off towards Shibusen Academy. "Go now, eat to your heart's content." The ravenous Bios said nothing but sped off toward Death City, ever happy to sate it's insatiable hunger.

"As for me." Malus said aloud as he looked toward where a certain witch had disappeared to. "I think I will go chameleon hunting."

**And so it begins.**

**Please review and it's not too late to submit oc's, especially now.**

**I do not own Soul Eater.**


	28. War is hell

**Head for the battlements. War is hell, without a devil.**

**Shibusen Academy entrance**

"Hurry! Take a squad with you and head towards the Death Rail stations. We have to make sure we get all the civilians out before they get the chance to break through." Maka and Soul gathered as many students as they could and began to issue orders and assignments with all the fervor of commanding officers.

This newest group ran off immediately to carry out their orders; it was at this instance that Maka saw the Diablons hurrying up the colossal stairwell, all re-dressed in combat suitable clothes and with each of their partners in weapon form.

"Great, you guy's are finally here." Soul called to them as they gathered around the two veterans.

"Where are the other teachers?" Marie asked.

"Lord Death and the Thompson sisters went to the front to overlook the situation." Maka answered. "We sent Natsumi-chan to go retrieve Black Star, Tsubaki-chan and Hisako-chan." Maka then noticed that the group was missing two members. "Where are Rogers and Muramasa-chan?"

The group became sullen at the question. "They went to go find …" Mint started but found her self unable to hold onto the hope that whatever the two find will be good.

"I see." Maka subconsciously took Soul's hand. She two could not bare the news of Gabriel's sudden demise.

"Hey no long faces!" Soul called out to get all their attentions. "It's too soon to start mourning. I've seen Gabe walk out of plenty of bad scrapes completely unscathed. And even if he was dead… he'd never want you to act like this because of it." His words seemed to hit a chord in the group of teens as new determination filled their eyes. "That's what I want to see."

"What do you need us to do?" Daniel opted, resting his hand on Rosa's hilt and Hana on his shoulder.

"For starters, Leon and Mint." Maka addressed the two. "There have been reports of sightings of Mori's automatons, among other things. I want you two to split up and join the groups sent out to hunt these things down."

"It will be done."

"Got it!"

The two ran off in opposite directions. Daniel headed for the lower areas and Mint keeping to the top.

"Wu Tian and Mariam Swallowtail." Maka addressed next. "Most of our distance fighters have headed to the front with Lord Death, so I want you two to join them."

"Yes ma'am!"

"Distance!" Wu complained, though a threatening look from Maka shut him up instantly. "Fine, but were getting there at my speed." Marie gave out a startled gasp and Robyn and Sora called complaints as Wu threw the blind meister over his shoulder. "Hang on! Jet Step!" And in a blink of an eye, he was gone, already sprinting through the twisting and turning streets at break neck speed.

"That just leave Xeal and Phoenix." Soul stated as the twin sword meister waited at attention.

"Alright, were counting on you to help the civilians through the death rail tunnels. A group's just been dispatched, so they shouldn't be to hard to catch up with."

"Understood!"

And once again, Maka and Soul were alone. Maka turned to look at Soul only to find her husband's back turned to her and his fist clenched at his sides. Maka immediately understood what he was feeling as she rested a hand on his shoulder. "Not to cool get this upset in front of kids is it?"

"Neither in front of my wife." He said turning to face her, his eyes had an intensity she recognized from their academy years."

"It's just like with Thomas isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry. Our Gabe's a tough kid and he's got great friends. The best thing we can do is make this Malus bastard pay." She held out her hand to him.

"Right." He took it without hesitation, his free arm immediately shifted into the long purple blade of a scythe. His body flashed white and became a long handle that rested expertly in Maka's hands. The veteran scythe meister spun her weapon in a series of complicated scythe forms; spinning her scythe in a windmill motion and juggling the scythe's handle around her neck before it finally came to a stop over her shoulders.

"Feels nice to be working together again." She commented happily.

"I missed you too honey." Her scythe remarked coyly.

"I'll let that one slide." She added back and rushed off to join her comrades in another great war.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Cabacura**

"Irrashai!" Blair called happily, expecting that the customers had returned. She blinked curiously when it was a new group of men in dark coats and long brimmed hats. The men lurched forward with mechanical grace.

"Blair, get down!" The magical cat complied, shifting into her purple furred cat form as Bob blasted the first of the group off its feet with the double-barrel shotgun he keeps behind his counter. Still, the remaining three barreled through, snatching the weapon away and grabbing the man by the throat with a grip like iron.

"Pum pumpkin…" The automatons turned to see the small cat chanting and waving her paw at them. "Halloween cannon!"

_Boom!_

Wood debris and mechanical appendages flew from the hole Blair had made in the shops front.

"Dammit Blair!" Bob complained, rubbing his bruised throat. But his employee seemed busy watching a far off alley. Bob followed her gaze and saw a pack of huge hopping rodents heading in their direction.

"Gomen Okame-san." Blair said as she shifted back into human form. "But it's time for a cat to do what she does best." Her excited grin unnerved him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**The basketball court.**

Plaguea's automatons were given only two specific instructions.

_Capture the Devil Buster._

_Eliminate all threats._

Their mechanical brains were not installed with any clear understanding of what was not a threat other than their master and their allies. Anything else was either the Devil Buster or a threat. The brown haired boy, in a white concert tee and a thin scarf wrapped around his neck, dribbling a basket ball was clearly not the Devil Buster, which specified it as a threat.

"Eliminate all threats." They rasped, finally getting their prey's attention. He didn't appear stunned or scared. Not even when they encircled him and each pulled out their individual chakram.

Not even when they pounced on him.

"Kage-Henshin!"

_Scrape! Ring!_

The pack of robots appeared confused as their chakrams sliced into each other. Though they were mostly unharmed their were confused over how their intended victim had just disappeared in that one instant.

"You gear heads looking around for me?" The robots turned to see a new human behind them, crouched in a position to imply he just landed from a high jump. This new threat had jet black hair and equally dark clothing with the exception of a red bandanna around his arm.

"Come at me then." Kei turned to face them, revealing twin points of green fire where his eyes were. He held out his hand to the side where more green and blue fire began to shift into a solid form. The fire had formed a silver opera like visor which he slipped easily across his face.

"Kage Senshi, Kei! Ikuzo!" He brought his guard up, one arm perpendicular in front of him and the other's elbow resting on the first's fist and pointing upward.

Unamused by his theatrics, the automatons leveled their firearms and opened fire. Kei somersaulted into the air to land behind the slow robots. He took the first down with a low kick, prompting it to trip and accidentally pumped holes into two of its comrades. Kei finished off the fallen bot with a falling punch.

Four robots remained. Each re-equipped their chakrams.

Kei grinned and pulled his arms back, spread eagle.

"Avenger Fury!" He rushed in at high speed, his hands a blur as they shot left and right in chopping motions. He finally skid to a halt behind them, three of the four seemed to instantly crumble apart in their own miniature junk heaps. The last of four turned its head frantically from the piles of scrap that were its comrades.

"Oh I got something special for you." Kei remarked coyly. He started back flipping toward the now retreating mech., his body glowing in the blue energy of his wave length. "Jack Knife Rush!"

He seemed to pass right through the too slow automaton and skidded to a stop as his victim just stopped moving. Kei dusted himself off and made his way past the still robot toward the exit. As he passed by, he tapped his unfortunate victim on the shoulder, causing its two halves to finally come apart.

Kei exited the vacant lot and looked toward lowest level of Death City, where he knew more foes would eventually gather to.

"This time, I will protect will protect your home." He vowed aloud before finally sprinting off.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**The Front**

"Made it!" Wu skidded to a halt as he reached the parapet like outer walls of Death City. He gently set the panting Marie down on her feet. While she fussed over how unkempt her hair had become due to the high wind speed, Wu recognized some familiar faces from class.

"Oi, Susan!" He called to a blue haired girl in a black trench coat looking through the scope of a Barret 50 cal. The girl waved them over. "What's the situation?" Wu asked.

"There seems to be force of ten-thousand strong." She answered, pulling up her red rimmed shades to reveal a pair of green eyes. "Lord Death and several one and two star meisters have already gone out to take the fight to them."

"Sounds like your kind of party Wu." Susan's rifle said, showing the reflection of girl that looked like a slightly older Susan winking at him. Sora frowned from her reflection at Susan's sister and partner, Selina.

"Alright! Sora, let's rock it!" He said swinging down from the parapet to enter the fray.

"Let's give him some cover girls." Robyn said as Marie loaded a trio of arrows onto her hand crossbow.

"Ooh! I like a man who takes charge." Selina said, causing Robyn to blush.

"Resonance Link!"

A white orb rose up to envelop the two meisters as Marie's arrows began to glow a bright pink and Selina shifted form to become a Famas rifle.

"Star Light Arrow: Flock Shower!"

"Bullet Time!"

The two girls let loose with their rapid fire finishers, peppering the ground in front of them with bullets and energy arrows, taking out hundreds of automatons and chimera.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Another hell spawned beast fell before his fist as many more rushed in, straight to their deaths.

Duncan smacked away an oncoming rat-flea Chimera with a back hand and smashed a charging automaton with a haymaker that shattered its skull like face.

"Worthless scum." He said pulling up his boxer like guard in challenge. "I'll send you all to oblivion where you belong. He drove his fist forward, blasting apart a pack of advancing chimera with his Silver Gun technique.

He kicked away the corpse of a dead chimerae as he marched further into the chaos.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Resonance rate: Stable."

"Noise: .25 percent"

"Charging will be complete in 3…2…1"

"Okay to fire!"

KID uncrossed his twin Death Cannons as the black spikes on his shoulders began to spark with blue energy and purple light built began to glow within his weapons barrels. A cross hair appeared in his pupil as the Lines of Sanzu on his hair began to glow.

He pointed his blasters straight ahead as his colossal target drew near. The squad of Promethean mechs led by a Thanos mech and flanked by a flock of flying chimerae showed no fear as they advanced on their waiting target. They really should have.

"Death Cannon." Twin blast of purple energy erupted from the cannons' barrels, enveloping the charging entourage.

As the dust cleared only the Thanos mech remained standing, though incredibly burnt and missing both its arms. It peered about for its target who had suddenly disappeared in the insuing blast.

Suddenly, it felt a powerful impact as its head seemed to be crushed inwards. It fell back, joining its bretheran who were all lying dead in a perfect circle around it.

Kid stared proudly at his work. "Ah! Even these machines can appreciate the state of such a symmetrical death. Truly exquisite."  
>"If you say so KID." Liz sighed. Patti just cackled away.<p>

**Alright the battle is under way. The Diablons split up and we join the supporting cast as they take part in the battle. **

**Thankyou Spartan for your Ocs Susan and Selina Battles.**

**Please review.**


	29. Shibusen's fight for survival

**Face off. Shibusen's fight for survival.**

**Shibusen Graveyard**

Sakuya looked up worried into the face of her panting partner. She'd been running all night, she was drenched in sweat and covered in several bruises from ambushes they had fought off single handedly. At this rate, she was sure to collapse.

"Okay. Wait, you need to rest." Sakuya retook human form and grabbed Allison's arm to halt her. "I don't think the Buster will appreciate me letting you run yourself to death." She firmly grasped her arguing friend about the shoulders and gently pushed her against a nearby tree. "Rest here. If he is around I should be able to find him alone.

Allison's only rebuttle was a tired nod of her head as she panted herself to sleep.

Sakuya smiled and moved aside a stray strand of hair from Allison's sleeping face. "I hope he appreciates how much you care about him." Her friend sound asleep; Sakuya ran off deeper into the cemetery , unaware of the formless shapes slithering about in the shadows.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What did this?" Rosa asked aloud. Daniel turned away disgusted in spite of himself. Before him, strewn about the deserted street, were the mutilated remains of student and civilian alike. Each corpse was covered in deep gashes, most likely caused by the claws of some great beast. Many of them seemed to be missing limbs.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Fauna said, covering her mouth against the vomit.

"We need to be prepared, Daniel-kun, I suggest we begin forging here." Hana tried to sound like the voice of focus despite her own disturbance at the sight.

"Agreed." Daniel pulled Fauna from her scabbard and set her into the ground beside him. He did the same with Rosa and finally took to a knee with Hana laid out in his hands before him.

"Beginning Soul Forging." The cobalt blue orb flared up around him as Fauna and Rosa became streams of energy and flowed into Hana. The process was beginning as Hana's normally red shaft became pale silver and her normal naginata blade became the spade-like tip of a spear.

This process would require Leon's undivided attention and thus would leave him very vulnerable. Especially with a hunting creature about.

_Snarl!_

It landed atop Leon. Biting, clawing, tearing using every weapon its gruesome body had its disposal. The frenzy continued for several more moments until the creature noticed how cold its prey had already become. Readjusting its position it realized that it had just pounced upon an already mangled corpse.

"Looking for me." Leon called nonchalantly as he tapped Quick Silver against the beast's shoulder. It was his spears speed boost ability that allowed him to dodge the unexpected backhand. Daniel swore he heard bones break in the monsters arm as it immediately popped back into place from its impossible position. The creature turned fully around to face its newest foe.

It was new type of Chimera. It stood at least six and a half feet. Its face was a disgusting mix of teeth and eyes, with a pair of razor sharp mandibles and a lolling tongue wiping the blood from its gore covered teeth. Its seven eyes were arranged in a hexagonal pattern with a one more in the center. Dread lock styled hair hung from its monstrous head. Its trunk like arms were covered in a bone like exo-skeleton, with each hand ending in seven digit fingers, each equipped with blood covered hook claws. His legs were much shorter than his arms, giving him the gait of a knuckle walking ape. Its body was covered in blood red, vein-like lines that ran half-hazard across his body and down his legs.

"Now I'm going to be sick." Rosa wretched at the sight of their hideous foe.

"A heinous form for a heinous crime." Daniel said as he pointed his spear ahead in challenge. "Now, face death at the hands of my beautiful blades." The cobalt soul with a red mane flared up around him once more as he charged at the chimera with blinding speed.

The creature seemed to grin as Quick Silver's tip came in straight for his eyes. In a split second, a loud popping sound could be heard as the creature neck seemed to snap it self, causing the creature's head to hang at angle, an angle Leon unfortunately couldn't hit.

Daniel watched wide eyed as the creature's seemingly limp head seemed to curve around and grasp Quick Silver's handle in its powerful jaws. With a deft twist of its neck it flung the red haired meister and his weapon against a far wall.

It tool Daniel some time to get back to his feet, luckily his chimera opponent seemed busy readjusting its head back into place. It was then that Danny heard the whimpering.

In a nearby alley, a small child knelt beside a prone corpse, tears streamed from her eyes as she desperately tried to awaken her father who would never awaken again. Daniel turned back to his foe, it didn't seem like it noticed her yet. He had to draw it away.

Now, in Daniel's mind, these chimerae were the same as animals, like hunting dogs, as long as one person has their attention they won't focus on another.

"Hey! You ugly spawn of an insect and an ape!" That seemed to get its attention. "You think your little tricks are enough to put me down. I am the noble lion of Shibusen, Daniel Leon!" He started tapping Quick Silver against the ground, for an added touch as the Chimera slowly knuckle walked toward him, its mandibles clacking curiously. Soon they were walking past the alley where the child continued to sob. 'Just a little more.' He thought hopefully. "C'mon kill me I'm right here."

"In time little cub, in time." Daniel froze shocked when the creature spoke. Its voice had a deep tone that seemed to possess both articulation and menace. Before Daniel could respond, the chimera wrapped its powerful hand around a nearby lamppost and ripped the spear like object free from the ground. Daniel readied him self, preparing to dodge when the creature would inevitably throw the projectile. To his shock, the creature pivoted on its spine and loosed the spear down the alley. Daniel stood rooted in place as the whimpering suddenly ended. No other sound followed, no cry of shock, no panicked pants that implied that the child was alive and now running for safety, just silence.

"You-you…" Daniel couldn't get the words out.

"Bastard? Son of a bitch? Beast?" The monster laughed at his stunned expression. "Chimera Peccatum, at your service."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Remind me again. Why aren't we using the Death Rails?" Phoenix complained for what felt like the umpteenth time. Xeal and Phoenix were among one of several groups of Shibusen students leading civilians out of the city. The trek so far seemed to take them several hours, a time that could have been halved if they had taken the trains, however:

"The trains would have made to much noise, thus alerting the enemy to our actions." Xeal spoke matter of factly.

"Hey quiet back there you two!" A two star mesiter who led their group growled back to them as he held up his hand for halt. He seemed to peer into the darkness cautiously. He readied his scimitar weapon partner. "Send all the civies back down the tunnels." He commanded. Xeal looked back noticing that their leader seemed to be staying behind.

"Don't sweat it bro., this guy's a two-star. He can handle himself." Phoenix reassured as Xeal followed the others down the tunnel.

They had gone only several yards when he heard it.

_Buzz. Buzz._

Xeal skidded to a halt, confusing one of his companions who ran behind him. "Hey what's wrong?"

"I have to go back." He muttered further confusing his peer.

"Hey! Wait!" Xeal rushed past him as he sprinted back down the tunnel.

His eyes fell on the sight he expected.

The two-star desperately chopped at the tendrils that flailed around him. The black, feature less giant seemed unaffected as another one of its tendrils was cut down. More flared out from the giant's bulk to replace it. The two-star continued to chop away at them despite how exhausted he seemed. The giant seemed to quickly tire of this unending defensive and pulled the tendrils back into it self. It then lifted its trunk like arms and swung downward. Xeal decided it was time to act.

He split Phoenix into dual katana mode and quickly crossed both weapons above his head, catching the colossal arm before it could squish his senior. The two-star stared shocked as Xeal struggled to hold up the heavy attack.

"I thought I told you to take the civilians back down the tunnel."

"Sorry sir, but this isn't an enemy you can beat." To prove his point he slowly began his chant causing Phoenix's blades to glow bright gold. He could feel his foe ease away from him, he took this chance to slash upward, cutting the hand away from the wrist and shatter into a pile of dead black flies.

The two-star looked on stunned. "Are you-?"

"Don't ask questions just run!" Phoenix commanded. The senior nodded and retreated back down the tunnel to join the others. "You do realize the cats out of the bag now." Phoenix commented.

"He'd just get in the way anyway. Besides you knew it would come to this." Xeal knew he had to be the one to face Beltza. Only he could save the Black Death from himself.

Phoenix sighed. "What is with you hybrids and thinking you have a duty to take on everything alone?"

"Well I'm not alone now am I?" Xeal grinned turning to face the recovering Bios.

"Got that right. Let's cure this clown!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hello…" He called, trying to warm himself against the chill. Weird, he never had any problems with cold before. The last thing he remembered was Malus coming at him with his sword and then… nothing. Now Gabriel found himself alone in a never ending corridor of frozen glass. His reflection looked back at him from all sides.

"Where the hell I am?" He demanded aloud as if someone would answer.

Suddenly, the mirrors all around him shimmered, he went on the defensive expecting some kind of ambush. His arms went down though, and his eye's widened in horror as he peered into the first mirror.

"Thomas!" His mentor's mutilated corpse fell through the untarnished glass into his arms. His eyes looked lifelessly onward, his body was full of puncture wounds. Gabe looked at the blood now staining his hands.

"It's your fault you know." Gabe's head jerked up in search of the familiarly icy voice. "This is what comes of turning your back on destiny." More corpses fell from their icy tombs. Gabe watched in horror as the bodies of his friends in Diablon, his teachers, his friends from the orphanage, many of his loved ones clattered to the ground baring similar and even worse wounds than Thomas.

And then they stepped from the shadows. His twisted brother carrying Gabriel's most important person by the throat.

"Gabriel." Allison called to him weakly as Malus chuckled at his dismay.

"A fine woman." Malus said suggestively, running a white finger down her chin.

"Put her down!" Gabriel snarled as he set Thomas aside and glared at his half brother furiously." Malus only sneered as white mist swirled around his hand. "Don't do it Malus!"

"Gabri-!" In powerful blast of artic wind, she was silenced. Gabriel froze in horror at the sight of her body covered in ice, her face trapped in an eternal plea for help.

"Keep the bitch then." Malus laughed as he tossed Allison into Gabriel's arms.

He looked down at the person who lay in his arms dead. Never again to feel the warmth of day. To laugh along with all of their friends. To never call his name again.

"Aaugh….auhgh!" The fury boiled in his heart, threatening to turn his blood to acid in his veins. His wings flared out sending out a wave of all encompassing volcanic wind.

"MALUS!"

The ice shattered around him, the corpses burned away into ash and even Malus burned away with a sneer still on his face.

It all burned away. Except him and what remained of his beloved.

"Such an easily agitated child." Gabe's hunting gaze lurched left and right. Searching for whoever remained to mock his pain. He then felt the steering in his arms. He looked down in shock as Allison lifted her head to meet his.

"Very good my little devil." Her eyes were a bright purple with a yellow iris.

Gabe blinked in shock as the image of Allison disappeared and the vast emptiness that was the icy corridor became the familiar volcano like pit of fire he recognized.

"We won't be disturbed this time." The ancient voice called up to him from the firey pit.

"Dammit, I can't believe I fell for your tricks." Gabe growled back down, his horror completely vanished, for it was all a dream created by his cruel tenant.

The lava filling the bottom of the pit began to bubble as something beneath disturbed its surface. It suddenly shot skyward. Sitting upon the lava plume as if it were a chair, sat a red demon, with purple eyes.

"Surtur."

**Sorry I'm late guy's, I've been sick. And I know its another build up chapter but their necessary. **

**Next time: We'll be focusing on these three confrontations. Can Danny best the greatest of Plaguea's chimerae. Will Xeal be able to hold up against the brainwashed Beltza. And what will come of this meeting between Gabriel and Surtur. Find out next time.**

**Thankyou A.D. Aldous Dragon for your Oc Peccatum.**

**I'd also like to mention before anyone asks, its not the same demon Soul had, I'll give the full description next time.**

**Please review**

**I do not own Soul Eater.**


	30. Back into the fray

I know I'm late again. Curse you procrastination!

**Back in the game! Best way to wake the sleeping Devil?**

_**Gabe's Mind**_

"I can't believe I fell for your tricks." Gabriel grumbled as he stared down into the boiling pit below. The pit soon began to bubble and froth as something seemed to stir beneath it.

Suddenly, a plume of lava began to climb ever upward. It climbed and climbed until it was level with Gabe's platform. Gabriel glared annoyed at the plume's seated passenger.

"Surtyr." Gabe snarled in his usual greeting for the manipulative host of his left eye. His "tenant" took the form of a masculine red demon, with coarse black fur covering his legs, waist and (thankfully), his groin. His skin was a leathery red with blue tattoos running across his chest and arms, running to the knuckles of his black clawed fingers. His face was more apish than human, with a wild black mane running down his scalp to his neck and large bat-like ears. He waved off Gabe's angry glare with an upraised hand.

"Easy son. I simply wished to coax you out of your little cat nap." The demon said.

"You ever heard of that "Kick" thing from that lame Dicaprio movie? Probably would have been just as affective." 'And it would have saved me from having this conversation.' He thought to himself.

"I heard that." The demon stated. Gabe cursed. He forgot that the demon was hardwired into his mind and soul. Ergo, whatever Gabe knew or felt, he would know about it.

"Can we turn down the heat, my ass is getting crispy?" Surtyr, suggested as he tried to readjust his cross legged position on the plume of lava. Gabe would have grinned at the demon's discomfort, if he didn't know that the creature was more inclined to fire than he was. Still; suddenly the plume of lava stopped moving completely as it began to give off steam. The lava slowly cooled and began to take shape as the magma shifted position.

"Ah. Much better." The demon sighed as he settled himself into his newly formed throne of molten rock. "Now if we could only order some DVDs and a few beers we'll be in-. Why are you doing that?" He asked curiously to his host who had began pinching himself.

"Trying to wake up from this stupid dream." He growled as he pinched harder, as if it would do anything.

"Oh be my guest. Not like you're not still frozen or anything." The Demon said sarcastically. Gabe gave up and plopped down in his own crossed legged position.

"So what now? How do I get out of this hell hole?"

"Interesting way to talk about your own soul." Surtyr stated amused. "You've already cleared away the internal freezing if you recall?"

Gabe did, and began glaring at the demon again.

"Oh now don't give me that look. It was the only way to piss you off enough to get you at least subconscious. Now we just need to finish the job."

"Not-."

"Not interested. I know." The demon cut him off with a wave. "You realize you sound like a Final Fantasy character when you do that."

"Sorry that I don't find your and Malus's attempts to get under my skin interesting." Gabe countered with his own sarcasm.

"Ah yes. Let's discuss my dear counter-part's host shall we."

"Oh joy."

"Malus is deluded."

This actually caught Gabriel off guard. He had been thinking that for years. He just never thought that Surtyr agreed with him.

"He actually believes he's saving the Earth." As if on cue a small sphere of lava floated from the pit below to hover in his hand. It cooled to become a perfect ball of rock. "That he'll become the god of a new era and that he will lead the righteous on to a new paradise." His hand suddenly closed around the ball, Gabe could hear the faint noise of crumbling dirt.

"Ridiculous!" The demon seemed more perturbed than Gabe knew him to be. "To actually leave anything and anyone behind! That is not the destruction that we long for!"

"Right. You and Ymir want to wipe the slate clean. Start the world over to zero where only the cockroaches remain." Gabe stated having heard this over a thousand times.

"Nope, their going too." The demon said matter of factly. "For that is the true beauty of destruction. To watch the dregs cling to life while the very flesh is burned from their bodies. To leave nothing alive in this world!"

"Now who sounds like a Final Fantasy character?" Gabe rolled his eyes as his head began to swivel in search of an exit; or at the very least a pair of ear plugs.

"You may jest, but even you should understand the significance of destroying the world."

"What I understand is that I want no part of it. Nothing good can come out of selfishly slaughtering billions and I will not have a hand in it!" The lava had begun to bubble louder and more violently than before.

"Hmph. Being around those dogs of the reaper has poisoned you. I very well had you last time if that damned Gunn hadn't interfered. But now its just you and me." He smiled wickedly.

"Wrong! It's just you. I'm getting out of here some other way." Gabe rose to his feet and turned his back on the red demon.

"Just one more thing. About the girl." Sutyr called after him. Gabe skid to a halt and turned back to eye his tenant threateningly.

"What about her?"

"Do you really believe it wise to give your heart away in your position?" He asked coyly. "Eventually, this body shall become mine. Or, they will find out about your last big secret. Me." He paused to let that point set in. Gabe's expression remained blank. "They will most likely turn on you then. Lock you away like a beast. All your precious friends and even your pretty little girl friend will want you dead."

Gabriel slid his hands inside his pockets and turned his back on Surtyr once more. "You're pitching your bullshit to the wrong guy. Even if any of that were true, it doesn't matter to me. I stopped caring about my own well being a long time ago."

"What of your friends' lives then?" Gabe faltered once more as his fist clinched inside his pockets. "Do you actually think Malus won't put them on priority? He'll hunt them down one by one. While you're stuck in here, knowing you could of saved them but didn't."

"Shut up." He hissed back.

"But let's get real. As if you could actually beat Malus. Most likely he'll stay true to his words and make you watch as he feeds your friends' bodies to the chimerae."

"I said shut up!"

"Ooh I hope he saves the girl for last. Maybe I'll pop up some pop corn for the show."

"Damn you!" Gabe's red eyes glowed hatefully as he pounced at the mocking demon. Suddenly, chains of white light flared up around his wrist, halting his charge inches from Surtyr.

"Have I upset you?" Asked the demon coyly

"Fuck you!" Gabriel spat back.

"C'mon then. Hit me."

Gabe struggled and snarled against the wave length dissipating chains. The chains seemed to squeal with protest but still held firm.

"Give in to your fury. Let the anger grow. Explode!" The image of the demon suddenly fell away. Replaced with a form more hateful and cruel than Gabe ever knew.

"Malus!" Suddenly, one of the chains shattered. Dissapating in a shower of white sparks.

Gabriel's fist exploded against the mocking image of his half brother. Gabe roared with a guttural battle cry as the lava sprouted up around him like a geyser. Flooding his world with red.

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_**Back in the cemetery.**_

"Mint, I'm in doubt of the wisdom of this plan." Lavender said as the two girls debated over the still frozen body of the Devil Buster. They had broken off from the hunting party when they came near the cemetery, hoping to find their missing friends. Luck would have it however, that they found who their friends were searching for.

"Do you have any other idea how to fight off hypothermia?" Mint said as she took off her black jacket.

"Rogers isn't going to like this." Lavender argued.

"Well she won't appreciate me letting her boyfriend freeze to death either." Now she was working at unbuttoning her uniform.

"Just answer me this. Why does it have to be you?"

"Because it might be too late if we tried to find Alley and get her to do it." Mint said rationally. "Plus, no offense to you girl, but between the two of us…" Mint dropped the subject as Lavender wrapped her arms around her chest and turned away.

"Just hurry up!" Lavender called behind her.

"Hey! Something feels warm?"

"Okay! We don't need to hear that kind of graphic detail." Lavender blushed red as she grumbled over her friend's unbelievable lack of tact.

"No, I haven't done anything yet. He's warming himself up, and fast."

Lavender turned to find Mint watching the frozen boy curiously. The ice was slowly starting to melt! Water pooled around him as the blue tattoos on his arms began to glow brighter and brighter. His hand slowly started fidgeting and finally closed firmly.

"I think we might want to back up." Lavender suggested as she her meister dived behind a nearby grave for cover.

Gabriel's eye's suddenly flew open as the ice covering his body suddenly shattered and fell to the ground and the red, bat winged soul flared up around him.

"MALUS!"

Mint and Lavender cowered behind the headstone as his roar seemed to shake the trees around them. They've seen him angry before, but even then he seemed to have some measure of self control. This, this was like one of his rampages. As if he didn't care who, he just wanted to someone to tear apart. Finally, the roar died down. The red glow had begun to fade.

"Do you think it's okay to come out?" Mint whispered.

"I don't know, you check." Lavender said.

"No way! He might eat me if he sees me."

A grunt above them turned both girls' heads upward. Gabriel looked back down at them, his chin resting on his, now demonic, right arm and his eyes suspicious.

"Anybody want to tell me why I'm shirtless and why Mint's shirt's unbuttoned?"

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_**Meanwhile, on the other side of the cemetery.**_

"Kyaaaahhh!"

Sakuya skidded to a halt at the sound of her best friend's scream. It didn't take her long to go into a straight sprint as she rounded the bend to where she had left her meister.

"Allison-chan!" She stopped at the sight of her friend being choked to death by a pair of bird like talons. Sakuya looked up into the face of the culprit and gasped in shock and recognition. "Tengu-ojiisan!"

The monk-like kishin gave no sign that he recognized his name; he simply seemed to stare off into blank space. That didn't stop his talons from squeezing even tighter.

"Let her go!" Sakuya yelled as her blade sprouted forth from her palm.

"Yell all you like, I assure you there's no one home."

Sakuya was about to turn to see who had spoken when she was suddenly blindsided. She got her blade up to block just in time as wickedly long nails screeched against her sword. This new kishin took the form of a woman in a red and black stripped sweater. Her long black hair covered the top part of her face but Sakuya could still make out a pair of blank eyes looking back at her.

"Magnificent aren't they?" A small man in a lab coat suddenly walked from the shadows. He snickered at the sound of Allison's gasping for breath. "Do lighten up Tengu, we don't need these two dead just yet." The kishin's face still showed no sign of change but he complied, slackening his grip enough to allow Allison to breathe but still keep her caught.

"Who are you?" Sakuya demanded, still fighting against the equally female kishin.

"H. Hausen at your service." The mad doctor chuckled.

_Please complain to me about my lateness. I don't deserve kindness. I will try better to not procrastinate._

_Spartan; no T-bagging. _

_I do not own Soul Eater._

_I guess I should say I don't own Inception or Final Fantasy too._


	31. Real or Fake

**Real or Fake? Old enemies revived.**

"Grand Dive!"

_Boom!_

The street shook from the impact of Leon's areal dive bombing technique. The dust wafted over the crater where the meister landed. He attempted to rise back to a lateral position using Quick Silver for support.

"Did we get him?" Rosa asked to her panting meister.

The battle with the terrifying Peccatum had proved taxing; leaving the blade meister exhausted and covered in slash wounds caused by the chimera's unorthodox fighting style and multiple hook-like claws.

"We can only hope so. Not even the most incompetent of artist could create something so hideous, and I have no desire to see it again." Daniel's weapons couldn't have agreed with him more.

"Let's get out of here. This place reeks with dead bodies." Fauna commented, scrunching up her nose against the stink.

"Agreed." Finally having deserted the crater Leon had started his slow trek back to the academy to seek new orders and, hopefully, medical attention. That is he had until:

"Turning tail cub?"

Daniel halted; his face a mask of sheer astonishment and confusion. His head swung to all sides in search of the beast but saw nothing. "Where are you?" He demanded, cautiously readying his spear.

"You spoke of art and beauty…" A sound beneath his feet caused Daniel to look down in surprise. The monster was under ground?

"…Then shall I paint you a masterpiece, from your own blood?" A clawed talon exploded from beneath the concrete and grasped the off guard meister by the ankle. The ground had begun to shiver and fracture as the beast pulled its terrified captive under.

"No-!" Leon stabbed his silver weapon's tip into the ground, attempting to anchor himself to the surface. But to no avail as that ground gave way too, and Leon and his weapon plunged into darkness beneath.

All was quiet for several moments, no movement until:

A subtle squirming noise could be heard as the clawed hand appeared once more. Hooking its long nails into the ground, it worked at dragging the rest of its great bulk to the surface. Its grotesque head followed, the sounds of bones snapping in and out of place could be heard as the creature continuously adjusted its own skeletal structure so as better to move around in the cramped tunnels it had burrowed.

Finally free from of the tunnel, the creature began work at repairing itself to its original form. All the while it looked back into the trap which had become its latest victim's grave and it broke out in a hideous, bestial smile.

"Sleep well with the worms, former king of beast."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakuya continued to struggle against her long haired opponent's wickedly sharp claws. It seemed that the creature was content at staying in this never ending dead lock, almost as if she was waiting for something. Maybe she could use that.

Taking a quick glance toward the still grinning Hausen and to Allison still struggling in Tengu's grip, she decided it was time to make her move.

If her opponent was surprised when Sakuya retracted her blade she didn't seem to show it. Sakuya grabbed her opponents arm and twisted so that the claws were no longer pointed her way. Then using the momentum of her opponents counter attack, Sakuya turned on her heel and hefted the kishin over her shoulder with a judo throw technique. The downed kishin still did not react as Sakuya's blade finally raced toward her eye.

_Clap, clap._

"Very impressive, my dear. Very impressive indeed." The still smiling doctor congratulated.

"Unless you want the same I suggest you release my friend." She ordered, retracting her blade from the skull of the dead kishin.

"I gurantee you I'm quite safe. But you should refrain from attempting me any bodily harm, otherwise Tengu may snap your pretty friend's neck." The doctor sneered.

"How did you revive Tengu? We watched him die, and we devoured his soul, so how is he still alive?"

"Ah! So you were the ones that killed this lovely specimen." The doctor smiled to his servant who remained stoicly expressionless. "Perhaps I should fill you in. This is Tengu and it is not him."

Sakuya's blank expression gave away her confusion of his cryptic talk.

"You see, before you stands a genius born only every one hundred years." He declared proudly. "For years I toiled to create the perfect biological weapon army. And thanks to my obtaining a certain specimen, my dream will finally come to fruition."

"What are you talking about?"

With a knowing chuckle the mad doctor lifted his hands and snapped. Sakuya turned to a disturbance behind her, to find the corpse of the kishin she had just slain quivering and turning a ghostly white color. Suddenly, the body started to morph and breakdown on itself. Pieces of it had changed into a kind of quivering white mass that had begun breaking off from the main body and make their way to the waiting hand of Hausen.

"My ultimate creation_, Ichor_, but you of lesser intellects may call it, "White Blood".

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Imagine it. Being able to create armies of the dead using only this Ichor and battle data programmed into it. The possibilities are limitless._

"What the hell is that?" Mint cried at the sight of the 45' reptile like monster lumbering towards them.

"Something that apparently didn't learn its lesson from last time." Gabe said cracking his knuckles.

The Verns clone raked forward with its claws. Mint instinctively started back pedaling but Gabriel jumped straight ahead.

"Lucifer Rising!" He rocketed straight through swiping claws with his burning front kick technique and powered through to smash into the beast's chest, forcing it back several feet.

"What the hell is this stuff?" Gabriel asked aloud as he started wiping a strange white substance from his clothes. To his surprise, the white material began to squirm its way off his clothes and back toward the wounded Verns. It crawled up his mass until it reached the hole Gabe had made in his hand. Slowly, the hole had begun to mend itself and leaving only flawless orange scales.

"Okay… that's new."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Don't you just love the irony of it? The dead have become the enemies of the Reaper and his cronies._

"Marie? Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Robyn asked dumbfounded.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" She asked sarcastically.

"Sorry. What I mean is, am I hallucinating or do you sense those things coming right for us?"

"What do you see?"

"I think they're… goblins with jet-packs." He explained to the best of his ability. His partner's silence did not do his claim confidence. "You asked."

"He's not hallucinating." Susan said as she targeted the tiny flying kishins with her sniper rifle. "But in a second it won't matter."

The little goblin didn't know what hit it.

"Direct hit!" Selina called happily. Unfortunately the remaining three goblins seemed very aware of what had shot down their comrade and began taking evasive maneuvers as more shots and arrows came soaring their way.

"Shit! I can't get a clear shot!" Susan stated as her next shot went wide.

"I could knock them both down with a single arrow, but if I can't detect their souls I won't know what I'm aiming for." Marie explained as Robyn gave her directions on where to shoot an arrow but each shot was just as easily evaded.

"Can you gurantee that?" Susan asked.

"I can." Marie assured her, pulling out a 1' long, white arrow with a razor sharp head shaped like a bird's beak.

"Then maybe I can make you a target. Selina, I need full auto."

"Got it." Susan's rifle immediately returned to that of a FAMAS.

"Soul Resonance!" A blue soul rose up around the rifle wielding girl. "We're not going for accuracy sis, we just need to nick them at least."

"Roger!"

"Richochet!" A hail of bullets blazed forth from the rifle as glassy plates of soul wavelength appeared before the girl's eyes, projecting her targets clearly to her.

The goblins ducked and weaved through the rain of soul slugs.

"C'mon…" Susan squeezed the trigger tighter until her finger had turned white. "C'mon…"

_Ping! Ping!_

"There! Aim for my bullets."

"Soul Resonance!" Now a pink orb flared up around Marie as she set the white arrow into place. "Tracker Arrow: Pursuit Peregrine!" Pink wings rose up on the arrow's shaft as Marie loosed her shot. The wings immediately caught the wind and began flapping. The arrow zoomed after the retreating goblins as they realized the threat.

The three goblins swerved left and right, up and down but still the Peregrine gained ground on them. Finally it caught the one lagging in back, slicing through it at high speed. The one ahead of it squeaked in fright before it followed its brother. As expected, the last did not fair much better.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Wu parried another chakram strike as the automatons surrounded him from all sides.

"I thought robots were supposed to be smart." Wu grinned as he readied Sora's wing-blades. "They had a better chance with their guns."

The automatons pounced, their mechanical claws and ring blades raking and slashing at their pinned target. Suddenly, one of the robots was sent flying backwards, a somersaulting Wu right behind it. Wu hit the ground at a skid and turned to face his foes as a white orb flared up around him and his blades grew out as energy wings.

"Try this on for size!" He connected the two blades at the hilts, causing them to combine into a double voulge like weapon. "Cross slash…Deluxe!" He leaped forward and began rotating at high speeds. The robots had just untangled themselves from the mess of bodies when the hurricane of blades came rushing through. Robot heads and limbs went flying as Wu chopped indiscriminately.

He soon lost his momentum and came to a staggering halt, clearly dizzy.

"Are you alright Wu-kun?" Asked Sora, concerned over Wu's stumbling steps as he tried to regain his balance.

"Never, whoa…better." Wu assured. "Alright! Whose next?"

_My spies are everywhere. I possess data of even the most illusive of monsters. Data I use to mold engines of my wrath._

A huge shadow surrounded him. Wu blinked in confusion, until he turned around. "Crap."

A colossal man towered over him. The man's skin was pale and "i" shaped tattoos appeared on his chest and arms. A bushy beard covered the man's sharp chin and another "i" tattoo stood in the middle of his face where a single black pupil stared down at Wu.

"I…don't suppose you're looking for Nobody?" Wu asked innocently. The man raised one of his massive trunk-like arms with the intent to crush. "Didn't think so."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Halo Fang!" Xeal's golden buzz saw sliced and ripped through the monstrous black blood giant; causing pools of B.B. flies to fall to the ground lifeless. But just as a chunk of the beast's body was hacked away it would just as quickly regrow that chunk and continue its constant offensive.

"Dammit! This is going to go on forever!" Phoenix growled in frustration.

"We're not causing enough damage to the main body." Xeal stated as he dodged another hammer swing. "We need to reach Beltza himself if we want to stop this thing."

"You're gonna kill him?" Phoenix asked, startled. He wasn't exactly fond of the Bios but he wouldn't have expected such intent from his usually kindly partner.

"No. But if I can reach him with a direct touch from my healing magic I might be able to weaken him enough to immobilize this thing."

"Then let's go for it!" Phoenix grinned, forcing his blade to rotate even faster. "I'll cut you a path, you get ready on your end."

"Right!" Xeal jumped straight toward the giant's center, slashing away the monster's arm as it came up to block him. Phoenix's golden blade finally met the B.B. giant's chest as it began ripping through the thick black shell. A deep gash had been cut into body, but it had already begun to mend.

"Lupes, lobos, lupes, lobos…" Xeal quickly fired off his chant as the golden light filled his hand. He thrusted his hand into the black mess and released the concentrated light into the agitated black blood. The affect was instantaneous.

The buzzing became a rumbling roar as the giant flailed its arms to try to pry loose its attacker. The giant was beginning to shrink as the black blood that made up its body began to waver and die. The arms fell away and soon the buzzing had stopped entirely as the giant became a lifeless pile of black mass.

"Did we win?" Phoenix asked as Xeal pried his arm free of the dead pile.

"Herriotza?" Xeal called worrying for the Bios physical state after that attack. "Herrio-!" A white tendril suddenly shot out from beneath Xeal and wrapped itself about his throat.

_Even the original specimen became but putty in my hands. My experiments have made him even more fearsome than before and has made him invincible!_

"Bro!" Phoenix called retaking human form to try and cut his partner loose. A pale white hand shot from the ground and grasped Phoenix's heel. Phoenix was suddenly lifted off his feet as the black blood parted around them becoming a cloud of black and white mist. Slowly a shoulder and a torso became attached to the arm that held Phoenix upside down, as did the tentacle strangling Xeal.

Finally, a head joined the torso. The sickly Bios had gone through a drastic chang. His normally electric blue hair had become ghostly white and his blood shot eyes became twin pits of black that stared menacingly at the captive half witch.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hausen had broken off from his rant and had begun laughing hysterically. All the while Sakuya racked her brain to form some kind of strategy.

"But I digress." The mad doctor stated now regaining his composure. "My creations are not perfect yet. For now they are but mindless machines. No, my desire is to create new life from the Ichor. To truly revive the dead in body and soul. But I need souls for that. And on that note…" The mad doctor snapped once more, prompting the fake Tengu to once again squeeze his claws tight around Allison's throat.

"Stop!" Sakuya prepared to jump ahead and sever the pseudo Kishin's legs but was met with the sudden reappearance of the female Kishin. The katana weapon's blade was swiped aside and Sakuya was pinned to the ground as the woman planted her heel into Sakuya's stomach.

"Struggle all you like. In time all the Souls of Death City will become my play things." Hausen howled manically.

"Allison-chan." A tear streamed down Sakuya's cheek as her best friend's face began to turn deathly pale.

A crashing through the tree suddenly caught everyone's attention. Sakuya and Hausen could only stare in shock as what appeared to be a dinosaur came flying straight toward them.

The colossal form sailed over them to crash into the hovering Tengu, causing him to release his grip on Allison and fall to the ground. A red blur rocketed toward her and snagged her from the air just before she hit the ground.

Burning wings blocked him from view, but Sakuya could think it was no one else. "You're late Buster!"

**Okay, so this one was kind of a rush job, that's my only excuse if it's not as good as previous chapters.**

**For those who don't know the Kishins featured, but not named in this chapter are the Select Goblins, The Cyclops (of chapter 80 of the manga) and Frey D. Sadoko (of chapter 62)**

**Please review.**


	32. Rise up, Lion and Devil

I swear this is turning out longer than I had originally intended. Whatever, all I can do is work faster and get it done faster.

**Rise up! The Lion and Devil's counter attack.**

"Sleep well with the worms, former king of beast."

The monstrous Peccatum grinned its cruel smile as it turned from the battle field. Its blood covered claws clicked against the ground as it knuckle walked back into the alley where the impaled child waited.

Life had left the girl's eyes long before, but the blood was still warm. This was what the beast longed for. It was never anything personal whenever it killed. It wasn't because they were the enemies of its creator and thus its enemies. No, enemies were classified as foes and foes were considered equals. For Peccatum, there were no equals. There was only prey, food for its ravenous hunger.

The Chimera's tendril like dread locks had begun to squirm impatiently. Feeding time.

As one, the dread locks squirmed toward the limp form. They greedily dug into the child's skin and penetrated into the corpse's internal systems. Peccatum threw his head back in ecstasy as it tasted blood, bone tissue, mucus all the girl's internal fluids and workings being devoured by the dread locks ravenous sucking and devouring. Soon, the appetizer was complete. Time for the main course.

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_**Beneath the ground.**_

Blackness. All he saw was blackness. All he felt was suffocation. Suffocation and pain.

The beast had been thorough in its assault after it had dragged him under. Just as his last views of the surface slipped away he felt clawed hands grasp his wrist and flip him back as the creatures feet wrapped about his waist. They had gone into some kind of tumbling roll. The creature had begun twisting and pulling his arms as they fell ever deeper. Though he could not see them, he knew both his arms had been broken. And with them, any chance of him escaping this black hell.

He could hear voices calling his name, shouting at him. But he was beyond any state of comprehending them. The pain was just too great. The despair was just to vast.

"Someone, anyone, please help me."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hmm?"

Gabe looked left and right for the voice that had disturbed his thoughts. He couldn't see or sense anyone else near the cemetery who wasn't already there. Allison was still unconscious in his arms, and Mint and Lavender had just helped Sakuya to her feet after knocking back the female kishin with Mint's Soul Force technique.

"Where are you looking?" Gabe turned to the once more sneering face of Hausen who had recovered quickly from seeing his favorite experiment come flying straight at him.

"You seem to be in a pretty good mood for someone about to lose." Mint commented as she and Sakuya took there place at Gabe's side.

"A mere set back my dear. And a favorable one, for now I have three weapon subjects before me, including a very interesting one." He said eyeing Gabriel expectantly.

"Is she alright?" Sakuya asked worriedly staring at the red marks on Allison's throat.

"She's breathing." He assured them as he turned from the mad doctor and his squirming abominations. He knelt beside a nearby grave and gently laid his meister against it.

"Such gestures are beneath one such as you." Hausen sneered as Tengu finally pulled itself from the squirming body of Verns.

Gabriel ignored the doctor's statement as he ran a gentle hand against Allison's cheek. "I'm sorry." He said. "Once again, my poor judgment has left those dear to me in danger. I've broken both my promises to you and I will except any form of punishment you have for me, but for now…" Gabriel then turned back to stare daggers at Hausen, who instantly lost his grin.

"Do-do you think you can even lay a hand on me given the force you are faced with?" He frantically spat as his three Ichor clones took defensive positions in front up of him. "My creatures are indestructible. Even if you kill them, they will instantly recover. You have no chance. Kill them!" He ordered his kishins.

"Here they come." Sakuya summoned her blade and brought it up defensively. A hand on her shoulder caused her to lower her blade as Gabe walked past her to face the incoming beasts alone.

"He's not serious." Lavender commented. Mint shushed her as she held back the concerned Sakuya.

"I think we need to let him work out his anger." She stated remembering the events when Gabriel woke up.

(Hit the music: Free your heat by Galvestone 19)

_Have you ever felt this in your life?  
>You feel like everything's on track<br>And suddenly you find  
>You've derailed 'cause of the chains that held you back<em>

The long nailed kishin led the charge as Gabe finally came to a stop in range of her pounce. Her claws gleamed as the pseudo kishin jumped forward, her claws leading.

Gabe's expression didn't change as the nails came with 6" of his face. Four inches…two inches. Hausen happily expected victory as the female kishin's nails came within an inch of Gabriel's face, then:

_I can't fight this feeling anymore  
>My Heart's shouting throughout the dark like night crows<br>And if I am held back anymore  
>I'll lose my soul<em>

Gabe's foot suddenly shot straight up, knocking aside the wicked claws. And just as quickly, Gabe's foot smashed back down onto the long haired woman's head, smashing her skull into the ground with a firey axe-kick. "Ogre Hammer!"

_Show me how to live my life like each day was my last  
>Burning up all my regrets and leaving them in my past<br>Find a way to be so free and one day you will be  
>Breaking the silence! Free your heat!<em>

Tengu flew in right behind his comrade, taking a precautionary swerve to attack the Devil Buster with a pin point fireball blast that covered Gabriel from head to toe with orange flames.

"That won't work." Tengu wasn't able to step back in time as a red scaled hand shot from the flames to grab his long nose. The old kishin struggled against the iron grip as the flames died down revealing his foe to be mostly unhamed, though his already ruined dress shirt was now in tatters.

_So the only question is Yes or No  
>And I'll decide it all with my feelings<br>So that when I break free, then I'll know  
>Where to drive this train known as my destiny<em>

Gabe's pulled back his other fist as red flames flared to life across it. "Devil Dynamite!" Tengu was instantly shot backwards by Gabriel's explosive punch, where he remained unmoving.

Hausen stared wide eyed and opened mouthed at how quickly his beasts were defeated all that remained was a patiently waiting Verns who had stayed back to protect his master. The scared scientist's eye's met Gabriel's red ones. The contemptuous Devil Buster smiled and flexed his index finger inwards in a 'come get me' signal.

_Dashing right through the oceans of my hell  
>Where I was forgotten in that prison cell<br>Now here I stand broken out of jail, out my shell_

"KILL HIM!" He snarled. The reptilian kishin charged forward without a second thought. Gabe expressionlessly took his stance, his pulled back demonic fist crackling with red energy as Verns quickly stampeded toward him.

"Yes! Just stand there and die! Verns will squish you for sure this time!" Hausen cackled insanely.

"Jigoku Reppu." Gabe's demonic fist rapidly jabbed forward into Verns' enormous torso. A large crater slowly formed on the creature's belly from the constant impacts of Gabe's crackling fist. Gabe's attack abruptly ended as the creature fell forward onto its knees, dead.

_Show me how to run away so one day I may bask  
>In the light of freedom where the darkness never lasts<br>Burn away the evil strays with power inside me  
>Breaking the silence! Free your heat!<em>

_Burning them out!_

Hausen had truly become stunned. Verns, his favorite creation had once again been humbled by the same Shibusen brat. Gabe slowly walked around the huge kishin, his hand pushed against the beast's side, causing it to topple to the side.

"St-stay away!" Hausen fell back as Gabriel towered over the cowering doctor. "I –I told you already! My creations are immortal. You can never truly destroy them, see!" Hausen pointed behind Gabriel, prompting him to turn his head back.

The doctor wasn't lying. Slowly, the pseudo Kishins were collapsing back into sludge-like forms and gathering together as one single giant mass.

"You will face a never ending battle!" Hausen cried victoriously.

"Yeah, about that…" Gabriel slowly raised his hand and placed his thumb and middle finger together. "They're already dead."(DD note: Sorry couldn't help it)

_Snap! Boom!_

Mint and Sakuya watched in horror as the Ichor started to bubble and bulge. Crackling, red energy raced across its form. The faces of the female Kishin, Tengu and Verns appeared in the mass as they each seem to call out in pain, but only smoke and fire billowed forth. The fire soon caught on the white substance and spread. The bubbles suddenly exploded, sending more fire out across the Ichor body. Soon the whole mass of Ichor had caught fire.

"How?" Was all the speechless doctor could muster.

"Its actually a technique I borrowed from Malus." Gabriel answered as he seemed to admire his work with an uncharacteristic grin. "I've always avoided actually hitting anyone with my wave length, but I realized that your monsters could respawn infinitely. So, I shot a jolt of my wavelength into them through my attacks and decided to see what would happen." Gabe grabbed the stunned doctor by the collar and hoisted him up so they could talk at eye level.

"I'm actually glad it was your pets I could test this ability out on. You see, in my mind, you are partly at fault for what had happened to Thomas." Gabe slowly brought his crackling demonic arm back. "You will be the first step on the road to my vengeance."

"Something's wrong. He's not himself." Sakuya stated worriedly. Despite his cruelty and inhumane nature, they could all tell that Hausen was not a Kishin and thus it was wrong to kill him. Gabriel should have known that better than anyone.

"We've got to stop hi-" Mint was about to say before a small figure suddenly shot past them, headed straight for Gabriel.

"BAKA!"

Gabe had only enough time to stare wide eyed before a sneaker smashed into his face. Hausen dropped to the floor hard, which wasn't that much of a problem since he had already passed out from fright.

"I just wake up and see you doing this! Stupidest boyfriend ever!" Allison pinched the surprised Gabriel's cheeks and pulled wide.

"OW…..!"

"Well, that's taken care of." Lavender sighed in relief.

"What do we do with him?" Mint said, gesturing toward the unconscious Hausen.

"For now, let's find something to restrain him with, I think we need to leave those two alone." Sakuya suggested. The other two girls nodded as both took Hausen by the arm and dragged him away from the scene.

"Wait! Don't leave me behind!" Gabe begged them which rewarded him with a tighter pinch.

"You're not getting off that easy." Allison growled. "You promised you wouldn't worry me anymore." Gabe only got his arms up in time to block before Allison began rapidly smashing her fist against his head. "You lied to me!" Gabe looked up when he felt cold moisture pelt his head.

(Bgm: TRC ost: I talk to the rain.)

"Baka! Baka!" Allison's fists began to lose momentum as tears streamed down her cheeks. "You had me so worried."

Soon, her swings became a slow tapping against his chest as Gabe lowered his arm. His eyes filled guilt; he had expected her to get angry but he never wanted to make her cry.

"Allison I-"

"I don't want to hear it." She quickly turned her back from him and wiped the tears away. "I don't even want to look at you right now." The hurt was plain by the hiccup in her voice.

"Then don't look, just listen." He whispered as his arms encircled her waist incase she planned to run away. "Please believe me; when I left, I had every intention of coming back to you. But I was stupid." He reprimanded himself angrily. "I should have realized that I'd never be a match for Malus on my own. I had forgotten something extremely important."

"What's that?" Her anger seemed to have run its course and she sounded more attentive and willing to listen.

"I had forgotten both teachings from two of the strongest men I've ever known." Gabe answered, memories of Kenji and Thomas filling his mind.

"_I think it's because I have something to protect. Junpei, Kai, Shimon, the other kids and you, Kyoudai."_

"_He wears his hat low, so as to cover the emotions of his eyes. He holds his passion within his fist. Fists empowered to strike down evil and protect his loved ones."_

"I'm at my strongest when I have someone to protect. I'm only strong when you're with me."

"Really?" She turned to look him in the eye.

"Yes." She returned his smile.

"So you won't make me worry from now on?"

Gabriel sighed. "I wish I could promise that, but Malus is probably the most powerful enemy we've ever faced. I'm not confident in my strength."

Allison wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest. "I know you can do it. With me as your partner you can do anything, right?" She smiled coyly. (DD note: Gag me. Spartan you know the drill.)

Gabe chuckled, knowing she was quoting him from the dance. "Yeah, I guess I can." He lowered his lips to meet hers as the red energy orb enveloped them.

"Tamashii no Bakugan!"

(Hit the music: Gurren Lagann ost Happily Ever After)

_Like how I've forgotten what I was like before I met you  
>If I can forget my memories of when you were around<br>How many will be all right?_

The flash of light erupted against the tree line bathing the cemetery in crimson light.

"Looks like they made up." Sakuya commented happily, giving the garden hose, which they used to tie Hausen to a tree, one final tug. Mint and Lavender giggled, giving each other knowing winks.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**The battlements.**

"What are you smiling about Ms. Swallowtail?" Susan asked when she noticed a huge smile spread across the blind girl's face. Robyn raised his eyebrow when he too noticed Mariam's smile.

"What do you know?" He asked, thinking she sensed something

_Inside of countless specks of stardust  
>The lights that are secretly, somewhere, watching over us<br>We are even now searching for them here_

"It's Gabriel!" She said happily. "He's alright and he's met up with Allison and Sakuya."

"Yes!" Robyn whooped. "I knew my bud couldn't go down that easily."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Witch hunter!"

The centipede chimera had no time to react as the scythe meister sliced it straight down the middle. It gave one final caw of mortification before collapsing dead.

"Another one bites the dust." Maka said, wiping the sweat of a long night off her forehead.

"Where to now?" Soul asked. They had been attacking random contingents of enemies so far. What was needed of them right now was to find the enemy generals and take them out.

"Hang on, I'll use my Soul perception to track down any witch souls in the city. With luck we should be able to find either this Malus or that witch Plaguea."

"Sounds like a solid plan."

"Alright…here we go!" Maka closed her eyes and raised her senses to their maximum. All of Death City became a grid like map for her to view at her own whim. She frowned in frustration; the city was filled with foreign, monstrous souls, most likely belonging to the Chimerae. Multiple human souls were also running around rapidly, probably fleeing civilians who haven't gotten the memo to head to the death rails. All the chaotic activity was making it harder for her to find two individual souls in this one gigantic mess.

"What's wrong?" Soul asked when Maka gasped in shock.

"It can't be." A red spark had suddenly shot up on her grid. The power it gave off was immense, but also very familiar.

"I-I think it's Gabriel. But, its nothing like what I sensed from him before."

Soul chuckled. "That's Gabe all right. Forgot to tell you, while you've been gone, the kids been doing a lot of growing up."

_Happiness has a tiny sorrow to it, wherein we always realize  
>For the first time that it was happiness once we part with it<br>I'm sure we can still make it even now, so  
>I have only one wish<em>

Maka smiled as the red flare calmed back down to the red soul she always knew. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Burp!" Peccatum used the back of its hideous claw to wipe the blood from its jaws as it picked its teeth with a sharpened bone, which it then flipped into its mouth. Nothing remained of the little girl, as was the custom of Chimerae to pick everything clean.

"Delicious." Peccatum crooned. Its eyes wandered to the pit it had dug earlier. With luck, the red-haired meister was already dead. The cruel chimera could then take pleasure in killing his weapon partner.

As the confident chimera saddled up next to the hole, preparing to reconfigure its bone structure once again, it became aware of a distinct gold light climbing up to the surface. Fast.

With animal like reflex, Peccatum jumped backwards as the pit hole erupted outward in a spray of debris and dust.

"I'm back beast." Leon snarled. He looked absolutely terrible. His face was bloody and covered in dirt. His legs were equally damaged due to the fact that his pants legs had been cut off and tied his hands to his silver spear. But what unnerved the chimera the most was his eyes. They shone with a strength that none of its previous prey possessed. What caused this sudden change?

_I wept only as many tears as breaths I took, and after that  
>What awaited me will continue forever from now on:<br>A world without you_

"What do you hope to accomplish in that state, cub." Peccatum demanded, flexing his claws menacingly.

Daniel chuckled, to the beast's confusion. "Hope is just exactly it, monster. I don't know if one of your kind can feel it but I can. The change in the wind. This feeling like the air's on fire. I know "that man" has finally entered this battle. How can I just sit back, knowingly that my comrade refused to lay down and die. That is why…" A cobalt-blue orb with a red mane flared up around him. Quick Silver suddenly began to glow with a brilliant white light and the end of its shaft began to shift, changing into a blunt pommel end crafted into the head of a lion.

"….I will defeat you, here and now!"

_Wounds that can't heal and words we can't say even after a century  
>Having made those alone into our guideposts<br>We are even now living here_

For once in its violent life, Peccatum was awed. This being refused to die, even though it was plain that no other creature would be able to fight in its condition. This creature was far too strong to be considered just "prey". The chimera had finally found a worthy adversary. A "foe".

"Yes!" Red and black sparks had begun firing off the creature's finger tips as it howled in glee. "Finally, a worthy foe for my full power." The creature went to all fours as the crackly energy ran across its entire body. "Get ready to die cub!" The beast pounced forward at high speeds.

Quick Silver's spade-like tip flared up bright silver as it extended outward to a 2' long blade. "I'll rid this world of your ugliness, for good!" Daniel charged ahead to meet it, relying on Quick Silver's speed to make up for his lack of strength.

_Happiness has a tiny sorrow to it, wherein we always realize  
>For the first time that it was happiness once we part with it<br>I'm sure we can still make it even now, so  
>I have only one wish<em>

"Climmhazzard: Special version!"

"Madness Menace!"

The two collided, their impact sending up a blast of wind and dust.

"Hack!" Leon practically collapsed then and there as the monster's wavelength charged claws dug into his stomach. Leon had succeeded in what would have been a fatal wound for a normal opponent. Unfortunately, the chimera was not a normal opponent.

"This is true beauty. The beauty born only through a clash of blades against fangs. Arms against claws. I thank you for creating it with me." The beast was completely unhindered in its speech by Quick Silver's glowing blade stabbing into it's exo-skeleton covered throat. "Have you any last words, lion."

"Yes, I said it was a special version."

_Happiness is a modest thing, wherein we always realize  
>For the first time that it was happiness once we part with it<br>Happiness is a precious thing, wherein we always realize  
>For the first time that it was happiness once we lose it<br>I'm sure we can still make it even now, so  
>I have only one wish<br>I'll chase after you through thick and thin_

Suddenly, the lion headed pommel opened its metal jaws in a roaring expression as gold light began to build in its maw.

"What?"

"This is your end!" A golden blaze exploded from the lion head's jaws, catapulting Leon forward. Peccatum was knocked off his feet and was being carried backwards by the force of Leon's renewed charge.

"So you've got some fight left in you? That's what I like to see." The chimera grinned all the while sending another jolt of Madness Menace into Leon's torso. The blade meister held on against the pain. He gave a wild battle yell as the two slammed against an oncoming building.

The force of the impact caused the building to collapse atop them smothering the combatants with rubble.

"Did I get him?" Leon asked to no one imparticular. He used his back to shift the debris off him, since his arms were still mostly dislocated. Finally able to see day light, Daniel bit back the pain as he had to rely on his elbows to lift himself to his knees. The sight of his foe towering over him was the first thing he saw.

He waited for the finishing blow to come, but it never did. As he took another look he soon realized that the creature's body was suspended by the tip of his spear, embedding it into the wall. Its head rolled clean off as Leon removed Quick Silver from its perch. He chuckled as the monster's body followed its head to the ground. "You've never looked better."

**Okay. Had a major brain fart while typing this. So it's either one of my best or my worst you tell me. **

**Please review **

**I don't own Soul Eater and blah blah blah.**

**I guess I should also say I don't own that Fist of the North Star line.**


	33. Conflicting Powers

**Okay let's wrap up one of our rival battles.**

**And… Action!**

**Conflicting powers. Endless Possibilities.**

"_Eliminate all threats. Eliminate all threats." _The electronic monotone reverberated through the park as the man sized mechs loped down the sidewalks in search of new prey. The pickings had become scarce in those parts since Shibusen evacuated the civilians and most of their troops went to the front line. Still, the automatons were given specific orders. Orders they would follow through without question, and boredom was never one of their worries.

_Vroom!_

The robots raised their heads as one. The blaring roar of an engine had suddenly resounded in a nearby tree line and the roaring was getting even louder as whatever vehicle headed their way grew nearer.

"_Eliminate all threats."_ Uninterested in whatever was speeding their way; the machines raised their machine gun mounted arms.

_Vroom! Screech!_

The loud roar was instantly replaced by a shrill squealing noise as what appeared to be a miniature, blue cyclone came tearing through the trees and headed directly for the machines.

The sound of crunching metal could be heard as the unlucky bots, who hadn't avoided the oncoming cyclone, were reduced to scraps as their bodies were pulled in and flung apart by their foe's incredible rotation rate.

The remaining bots pulled out their chakrams, expecting close range combat as the cyclone immediately skid to a halt and began to lose speed in its rotation. A blue and silver frame and a pair of black wheels could be seen as the vehicular combatant finally came to a stop, balancing on the tip of its front wheel.

"Traitorous mecha." The blue motocross motorcycle snarled. The lightning print painted onto its motor shined deep blue as the motor's engine began its infuriated roaring once again. "Toya Akira is here to send you back to the junk heap!"

Akira's tire's squealed to life against the asphalt as rushed the nearest bot. It pulled back its chakram to counter, when Akira suddenly hit the brakes, bringing his front tire to a halt. He suddenly pivoted on his front tire and swung out with his back. The automaton's head swung to the side as Akira's motor cycle round house kick broke its neck. Akira trampled over the downed bot as he rushed to meet the oncoming survivors.

"Spin out!" Akira slammed on the brakes once more as he balanced on the tip of his front tire and began rotating at high speeds. The robots had only enough time to consider stopping before they ran straight into the metal blue cyclone. "For the Bios!" Akira called out triumphantly as robot debris rained down around him.

He eased his spin down to a crawl as he retook human form. Coming to stop while balancing on the palm of his hand he lowered his foot down to ground level and dragged it against the ground to ease him self back up to lateral footing.

"This isn't good." The Bios muttered as he took in the sounds of battle coming from the city. "I have to find Sho and Bel quick."

"_**ELIMINATE ALL THREATS."**_ Akira turned to the sound of the much deeper and louder electronic retort coming from the tree line behind him.

"Shit!" He ducked to the side as the giant metal xiphos decapitated a line of trees, sending their stalks plummeting to the ground where he'd been .

"A Thanos, great." He spat sarcastically as the colossal automaton lumbered slowly toward him, its flail following behind its sword. Akira jumped backward, prompting the bot to come back around for a follow up attack.

"Torque!" Akira called as a wheel instantly appeared on the side of his leg and a motor cycle handle on his shoulder. He _revved_ the handle causing the wheel to spin to life. "Gyro Kick!" Akira smashed his leg into the oncoming flail with a heavy roundhouse kick sending the chain weapon sailing into its owners head.

"Hah, that all you got?" Akira mocked the tumbling mecha. He had spoken to soon, it would seem.

"Gack!" Akira struggled as a mechanical hand closed shut around him. "Another one?" The new Thanos brought the captured Bios to its face to examine its captive.

"_**Examination: recognizing former user; Bios member Akira Toya." **_

Akira sensed hope. The bots still recognized him from the when he commanded them. Was it possible they would still take his orders?

"Thanos Unit!" Akira called out to get the machines attention. "Command code: Kilala. Execute order: release! And right now!" He ordered.

"_**Statement: This unit possesses no knowledge of any command codes. All units have been given two orders only: Capture the Devil Buster and Eliminate All Threats. Analysis: You are neither The Devil Buster nor a friendly unit. Conclusion: You will be eliminated." **_

"Swell." Akira only managed to say before the machine's grip tightened.

"_**Statement: There is nothing "swell" about this situation."**_

"Seriously? These things are stupid."

"I told you."

The machine scanned the immediate area in search of the two voices and saw nothing. _**"Analysis: Enemies are hidden."**_

"Ho-oh Ho!"

"Geshang Zhan (Wind Cutter)!"

Twin arcs of green and red energy sailed toward the unsuspecting mech , slicing away its arms.

"_**Analysis: Primary melee weapons have been destroyed. Conclusion: -"**_

"You are so headed for the junk heap." Akira finished for it as he revved his handle two more times. This time, a wheel appeared behind his wrist along with his leg. Both wheels spun to life, causing Akira's hand to rotate at mach speeds like a drill.

"Accel …" The wheel on his leg sped off, catapulting the Bios forward. Using his momentum, he leaped forward, slamming his rotating fist into the giant mech's torso. "…Lancer!"

"_**ERROR! ERROR!" **_

Akira hit the ground at a skid, watching the automaton tumble to the ground with a gaping hole through its chest.

"Fancy meeting you here." Akira turned to Mint's call as she and the Gabriel-possessed Allison exited the tree line. Allison slid Sakuya back into her sheathe as she looked the junked robots up and down.

"And I thought these things were annoying enough, you gave them the ability to talk too?"

Akira finally noticed the scaly red arm with blue markings on Allison's arm. "Rogers-san?" He asked.

"Her and the guy who broke your arm." Gabriel answered back un-apologetically.

_Whack!_

"Ow! Hey whose skull do you think this is?" Gabriel growled at Mint.

"Don't be rude." She spat back.

"No he has every right to mistreat me." Akira stated. "Gomenasai!" He bowed his head to Allison, prompting her to scratch her head embarrassed.

"Al-alright. Take it easy."

"No!" Akira lowered his head further. "I felt humiliated after you defeated me so many months ago. My humiliation soon turned to hatred, which Malus exploited. Because of that I nearly fatally harmed many of your friends as well as my own. But even after all that you chose too save me, a fool who has caused you nothing but trouble."

"Don't mention it." Gabriel muttered. "I just wanted to deny Malus another victim." He said, half truthfully.

"Then please, please! Deny him two more." Akira suddenly scrambled to his knees and lowered his head to the ground. "Please help me save my friends!" He begged.

Mint and Allison looked at each other, unsure.

'_What do you want to do Gabriel?' Allison asked._

Gabe sighed exasperatedly. "Get up." He said grabbing Akira's shoulder and forcing him to look him in the eye. "Calm down and start from the beginning. What happened? Why are your mechs running around with my family crest on their chest?"

"Yes, alright." Akira said rising back to his feet. "It all started a week ago."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Gah!" Phoenix felt the like the wind had been knocked out of him after the Ichor enhanced Beltza tossed him aside only for him to slam against the far wall.

"Phoenix!" Xeal called after his weapon partner, but his only response was a series of pained coughs. Xeal suddenly felt the white tendril around his throat tighten as Beltza pointed his now free hand toward Xeal. The Bios fingers suddenly extended outward, wrapping themselves around Xeal's head, arms and legs.

The half-witch instantly felt…something being drained from him as gold light streamed from him into Beltza's fingers. "What are you doing?" Xeal demanded as he attempted to struggle free of his new bonds.

"You tried to "cure" me once, I'm returning the favor." Beltza replied in a cold hissing manner.

Xeal felt his mind begin to cloud as Beltza increased his absorbtion rate. The tendrils began to wind tighter around his body. Darkness filled his vision as the tendrils covered his eyes. Xeal felt like the darkness had come to claim him before someone suddenly ran into the intertwined pair, cutting off Beltza from Xeal.

"Alright you pasty faced patsy. You wanna get to him you gotta go through me!" Phoenix declared, turning his hands into katana blades.

Beltza eyed the man separating him from his quarry expressionlessly. "Gladly." He pressed his hands together, prompting them to meld and become a huge crescent shaped blade. The black instantly became white as Beltza pulled his arms apart, revealing twin broad blades.

"Bro… I suggest you heal yourself quick. I don't think I can take I take him. His are bigger than mine." Phoenix joked pitifully.

"He…he absorbed my magical energy. I can't even conjure a spark." Xeal said, desperately chanting over and over, hoping for a sign of hope.

"Whose idea was this again?" Xeal asked as he attempted to block an overhead slash from Beltza. He felt his arm jar numb from the impact but he still held firm. He countered with a thrust from his free blade-arm, but the enhanced Bios shifted his other arm into a pale, bone-like shield that turned the katana blade aside.

"Be gone." Spikes suddenly exploded out from the shield, cutting into the weapon as he was shot back once again. Xeal immediately shot to his feet, catching his friend and forcing them both back several feet.

"Turn back into a weapon quick!" Xeal ordered as the Bios leaped toward them with his blade arm flung back to strike.

"Got it!" Phoenix's body glowed white as he retook double-voulge mode. Xeal only managed to catch the heavy handed blow on his blade, but the impact forced him to his knees. Beltza ramped up the force behind his blows by changing his other arm back into a second blade, slamming it down in rapid succession with the first.

Xeal gritted against the strain his weakened body was forced to endure. At the moment, defense was their only option. The Bios had become too strong and his healing magic was caput. They were out of options. Or were they?

"Phoenix."

"A little busy here." The weapon grumbled tiredly.

"I think I know what we have to do."

"Really? Is your magic back?"

"No, but I still have one trump card left."

"Are you crazy?" Phoenix exclaimed. "No! Hell no! Chances are that'll end worse for you than him."

"What are you two bickering about?" Beltza suddenly hooked one of his blades under Phoenix and pulled upward, ripping the double-voulge from Xeal's hands. "You both can argue all you like, in the after life." Beltza raised his pale blade back, preparing to finish off the defenseless meister.

"No choice!" Xeal slammed his palms into Beltza's stomach.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Okay, I think we get the gist of it." Lavender stated after Akira finished his story. Both she and Sakuya had retaken human form in order to participate in the debriefing.

"So basically…" Mint started. "Plaguea and Malus seized control of your organization's mecha and turned them on you. And your friends Beltza and Sho, as well as many others, stayed behind to give you all time to escape."

"Exactly." Akira nodded confirmation. "Also unfortunate was the fact that Mori-sama was gravely injured during the coup." Akira seemed to lower his head in sorrow. "And despite that, he still struggled to re-implant me with a new Soul Cog, all so that I could rescue my comrades." Tears started to stream down his face as he bowed his head once more. "That's why I'm begging you. Please, don't let his efforts be in vain. Help me save my friends! "

"Okay, I've heard about enough." For most of the conversation, Gabriel/Allison had been lounging against a nearby tree, staring intently off into the distance, but now he had taken Akira by the shoulder and pointed off past the tree line. "We'll find one of your friends in that direction, most likely somewhere under ground. We can use one of the Death Rail stations to reach him."

Akira looked up in shock. "You're sure?"

"Ah." Gabe smiled assuringly. "My soul perception isn't as nearly strong as Marie's or Maka's , but luckily your friend seems to stand out. Also, Xeal is there."

"He is?" Lavender asked worriedly.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Mint said grabbing Lavender's hand. "We've already found Alley's guy. Now lets go save Lavender's man!"

"Mint!" Lavender cried in embarrassment as her partner pulled toward where Gabriel had pointed.

"Hey wait up you two!" Sakuya called after them as she and Allison sped off in hot pursuit.

"You comin'?" Gabe called back to a still stunned Akira. A grateful smile crossed the Bios face as he broke into a sprint behind them.

"I can't tell you how grateful I am."

"No gratitude necessary Toya." Gabe called back with a sure grin. "I'm sure by the time we get there…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

…_Xeal will have handled everything._

"Aaaauuuuugggghhhh!"

Beltza cried out in pain as his body started going haywire. His blades had lost all form of shape and spasmed out chaotically. His hair rapidly shifted between electric blue and pale white. Black and white tendrils sporadically exploded from his body.

"Bro!" Phoenix knelt beside his panting and pained looking meister as he gripped his arm close to his side. When Xeal slammed his hands into Beltza's chest, white sparks seemed to fire off his arms and run directly into Beltza. But just as soon as Xeal used his other power, the after affects instantly kicked in.

"Looks like it's working." Xeal commented between huffs.

"Yeah. For once that contradictory wave length of yours came in handy."

"The power to expel all evil until only good remains, my Anti-demon wavelength."

"I see, so that's what you did." Beltza said as he slowly but surely gained control over his body. "But a weak attack like that can only do so much to me while you seem near exhaustion already."

"Damn. Now what?" Phoenix asked as he retook blade form.

"Now the fight really begins." Xeal answered as the purple soul surrounded him.

"Soul Resonance! Kishin Destroyer!"

(Hit the music: Endless possibilities by Bowling for soup)

_This is my escape_

_I'm running through this world_

_And I'm not looking back_

Phoenix's blades flared to life as a rainbow colored glow filled them. His blades extended out and began to multiply, four new blades growing out of each of them. The Kishin Destroyer became complete as Phoenix's blades took the shape of five pointed, rainbow colored bird wings.

_Cause I know I can go_

_Where no ones ever gone_

_And I'm not looking back_

"Hmph." Beltza didn't waver. Black and white clouds of blood streamed around his hands as he brought them both together and pulled them back beside him. "Bloody Overload!" A wave of tendrils exploded from his hands, stampeding straight for the waiting Xeal.

_But how will know when I get there_

_And how will I know when to leave_

_We've all got to start from somewhere_

_It's right there for me._

"Let's go!" Xeal broke Phoenix down to dual mode as he charged straight into the fray. He commenced to rapidly but skillfully slashing the tendrils apart. Dozens of black and white serpents rushed to overwhelm him but he cut them down in droves.

_The possibilities are never ending_

_I see it, I see it_

_And now it's all within my reach_

_Endless possibilities!_

"Resistance is futile." Beltza cried as Xeal slowly began to make his way closer and closer to the Black Death. He stamped his foot against the ground causing a pool of black blood to slither its way toward Xeal. The half witch nearly lost his momentum as one of his blades was ripped from his hand.

"Damn it! I won't lose!" Xeal grabbed his remaining katana with both hands and charged straight into the stream, black tendrils completely overtaking his form.

_I see it, I see it now_

_It's always been inside of me_

_And now I feel so free_

_Endless Possiblities!_

"Hahaha! That's fine! My tendrils will devour you all the fas-!" Beltza suddenly froze mid sentence as a white glow filtered through the cracks in his tentacle cage.

_And so I'll carry on_

_My time to shine has come _

_I FEEL IT!_

_As fast as I can go_

_Straight to the top I know_

_YOU'LL SEE IT!_

Xeal gave out a mighty war cry as his blade flared up as a blade of rainbow light. He slashed outward, his energy blade slicing away the tendrils all at once. Beltza stumbled back as Xeal suddenly rushed to attack him at point blank range, his hand sparking with more white sparks.

_So please wake me up when I get there_

_It feels like I'm lost in a dream_

_I know in my heart It's time_

_And I already see_

_The possibilities are never ending_

"Come to your senses! Herriotza!" He slammed his wavelength home, blasting Beltza back several feet where the Bios fell to his knees panting.

"Is it done? Phoenix asked from Xeal's remaining blade. He stared up at his meister worriedly. His breathing was becoming more and more erratic and his body was covered in multiple cuts from the tendrils. He had also lost his trench coat, showing his gray tee-shirt to be covered in blood spots.

_I see it, I see it_

_And now it's all within my reach_

_Endless possibilities!_

_I see it, I see it now_

_It's always been inside of me_

_And now I feel so free_

_Endless Possiblities!_

_Bzzzz!_

A low humming a suddenly filled the room. It wasn't long before the two realized it was coming from their bent over opponent.

"I will not give up this body that lady Plaguea gave me." Beltza(?) hissed coldly. He raised his head to look hatefully at Xeal and the witch meister was shocked to see that his eyes were now multi-pupiled, like a fly's. "I will see you writhe in agony for this!"

"Black Blood: Black Death form!" His hands suddenly disappeared into his sleeves as black mist streamed from them to rise to the ceiling. Beltza opened his mouth wide, allowing more clouds of black blood to pour forth from his mouth. The buzzing noise became louder as the black clouds rose up as one to surround the two combatants in a dome of black.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What the hell is that?

Gabe and the others stared wide eyes as the black mass began to clog the tunnel way, cutting them off from entering.

"This stuff looks like Black Blood. Don't worry I got this." Mint assured as she pulled her fist back, crackling with her green soul wavelength. Akira suddenly grabbed her by the wrist before her hand made contact with it.

"Don't touch it! I recognize this. This is Beltza's most dangerous virus. One touch and it'll devour you whole."

'Xeal, Phoenix.' Lavender stared longingly into the black dome, wishing she could do something to aid her friends.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The black cloud seemed to smother him from all sides, he felt like his throat was on fire as the sickness entered his lungs.

"Xeal!"

The witch meister looked down at his partner's call and he stared in shock as the sleeve of his shirt started to disintegrate and his skin was beginning to become raw and red. "The black blood, its trying to eat me."

"Kill me."

Xeal jumped in surprise as the face of Beltza Herriotza suddenly appeared on the wall of black beside him. It was the true Beltza, his hair an electric blue and his face as tired as Xeal had last seen it.

"Kill me."

"_I understand your personal reservations with fighting him. As a half witch you feel responsible for the victims of your race. But that cannot change the fact that in his current state he had killed a good majority of the villagers in Corn Hallow. Until an alternative can be found, we must accept that we may have to bring him down."_

Xeal shook his head rapidly. "I won't! Your life shouldn't be sacrificed because of something you couldn't control. I refuse to kill you!"

_Drop that smile _

_Cause you're beaten again_

_No this is where my journey begins_

_You're losing speed_

_You're losing flow_

_Where's that piece of power_

_You'll never know_

_Let it out_

_It's inside you_

_Better all stand back _

_Cause I'm coming through!_

The face of the Black Death seemed to smile. "Then were both dead." His face turned back into a mask of pain as he was reabsorbed back into the black mass.

"Looks like this is it." Phoenix stated depressingly. "My only regret: I wish I had a steady girl friend."

"It isn't over, I will save all of us, even if it cost me my life!" The purple orb flared up around the witch meister once more as he reverse handed the Kishin Hunter.

"No Xeal! That could kill you both!"

Xeal shook his head once more. "It might kill me, but I know, there is good in him." Xeal raised the katana, pointing its blade downward. "This might be painful Herriotza but I know for sure, it will save you!" He stabbed the katana into the ground with great force, causing a magic circle with the image of a howling wolf at its center to appear around his feet.

"Smite!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Now what's going on?" Sakuya cried as white light began to filter forth from the black dome.

_I see it, I see it_

_And now it's all within my reach_

_I see it, I see it now_

_It's always been inside of me_

_I see it, I see it_

_And now it's all within my reach_

_Endless possibilities!_

The gathered teens stared in awe as the light seemed to be snuffed out instantly only to sprout forth on another area. The white light struggled against the black mass. Causing portions of it to expand chaotically, as if it was trying to hold in an explosion.

"Look!" Akira shouted as the white finally began to win out. A gigantic shaft of white energy exploded from the top of the black dome, causing it to disintegrate. Soon more shafts of light triumphantly shined forth as holes began to appear in the black dome. Finally, only flecks of black blood remained.

_I see it, I see it now_

_It's always been inside of me_

_And now I feel so free_

_Endless Possiblities!_

"Did Xeal do this?" Mint asked astonished. The group stared on in awe at the tower of white energy.

Gabe grinned, apparently pleased. "Look closely everyone. This is the power of my fellow half witch."

"Incredible." Akira stated. Soon the light too, faded.

"There they are!" Lavender cried joyfully.

Standing in the middle of the great battlefield, both an unconscious Xeal and Beltza slung over his shoulder, was Jasper Phoenix. He grinned as they rushed to meet him. "You guys are late." Were his final words before he too fell forward exhausted.

**Whoo! Finally done. Hope you all like this conclusion to the Xeal and Beltza rivalry. To A.D. and Spartan, sorry if I might have mutilated any of your characters aspects through this fight, and thank you both for sending me such compatible characters.**

**Till next time.**


	34. Malus's hunt

**Malus's Hunt. Witch Angela's dangerous game of hide and seek? (ain't that a mouthful)**

"Hah hah!" The young witch panted fearfully as she took cover in one of the many abandoned houses of Death City. She and Gabriel had pulled off their plan perfectly. Gabe had predicted that his arrogant half-brother wouldn't be able to resist gloating about the force he had gathered and it was Angela's duty to warn Shinigami and the others while Gabe kept Malus busy. The point was to give Shibusen time to prepare.

The plan would have worked, had the same arrogant half-brother not gone ahead and do Angie's job for her. And what was worse, he had dispatched Gabe far faster than she had feared. And now he was after her.

"Little lizard, little lizard." Malus called in a singsong voice. "Come out to play." She could hear his cruel laughter as he kicked down door after door of deserted buildings. "Do try to keep this entertaining." He called again. "My Fenrir has ever so craved a hunt and it won't be satisfied until it has tasted your blood."

Angela felt like she was about to black out, until she realized she had been holding her breathe in fear. She quietly took in oxygen, filling her lungs and clearing her mind just enough to think.

This opponent was clearly stronger than she was. The way he expertly swung around that great sword of his with only one hand, and the speed with which he beat Gabriel proved it. But, just because he was stronger than Gabe, doesn't mean he could fight like him.

'It doesn't seem like he has Soul Perception.' Angela thought to herself. 'If that's so, he might not be able to find me if I use my invisibility magic. And then I can ambush him.'

Then she remembered one of the cardinal rules of sneak attacks that Tsubaki taught her. They only work once.

Can she make that one sneak count? Was she strong enough to even hurt this man?

'Mifune. I wish you were here.' Angela hugged the quiver of katanas close.

She instantly shook the thought away. She wasn't a little girl anymore. She couldn't keep relying on a bodyguard. She was strong enough to protect herself now.

Throwing the quiver of blades over her shoulder the little witch straightened her hat and hugged the wall as her body faded into empty space.

"Time to play."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey Buster, when you finally wake up?" Phoenix asked with a weak grin as Gabe/Allison propped him up against one of the tunnel walls alongside Xeal and Beltza.

"Just a bit ago. Now I'm well rested enough to pick up your slack." Gabe returned the smile and held out Allison's fist.

"Heh. Jack ass." But the exhausted weapon knocked his own fist against Gabe's.

"Will Xeal be alright?" Lavender asked concerned as she knelt over the unconscious witch meister.

"Don't worry about him to much." Phoenix assured her. "Idiot just wore him self out. He'll be up and about by morning."

"And Herriotza?" Sakuya asked as Akira pulled out a bottle of pills.

"He'll be fine as soon as I treat him. Although if only we had-." The Bios was cut short as his friend suddenly shot up, his blood shot eyes widened in pain.

"Gagh! Kaff!" He immediately started gripping his chest in pain. Black lines started to appear on his neck and face. Akira desperately tried to subdue his friend. "Oh no! He's going into a withdrawl. We need a kishin soul now!" He cried.

Mint and the others looked to each other unsure. Where were they going to find a kishin egg down here? If they could, they would give one of the kishin eggs they collected but they had no idea how to go about doing that. One of the group however had separated himself from the others in order to rummage through the rubble.

"Where is it?" Gabe said as he shoved aside large mounds of rock. He was apparently having no luck with whatever he was doing cause he frowned as he moved to another mound.

'_What are you looking for, Gabriel?' _Allison asked him internally.

"It should be here somewhere?" Gabe closed his eyes as he focused on the world around him. He saw his and Allison's intertwined soul's, Sakuya's, Mint's, Lavender's, Xeal's, Akira's, even Beltza's which was fading fast. It looked like it was trying to devour itself. He didn't have much time. 'Where are you dammit!'

_Bzzz!_

"Found you!" Gabe slammed his fist against the ground, sending a line of fire racing toward a distant pillar. The pillar exploded apart, its loss causing the tunnel to shake unsteadily as the other pillars had to cope.

"Are you trying to bring the tunnel down?" Sakuya was about to Muramasa chop Gabe before she realized she was about to hit Allison too.

"There it is!" The other teens followed his gaze toward the decimated column. Then they too heard the buzzing as a small black form hovered around the rubble.

"Grab it!" Gabe ordered as he scrambled after it. Sakuya and the other girls followed after him while Akira kept Beltza from tearing at his chest.

"Come here you!" Mint leaped for the small form, her fingers only brushing the air around it. She continued to make futile grabs as the thing buzzed around, just out of her reach.

"I got it!" Lavender said as she turned her hand into a pole connected to her wrist by a purple chain. She swung outward, hoping to swat the buzzing thing from the air. Unfortunately, the creature dodged.

"Ow!" Mint rubbed the spot where the wooden pole smashed into her head, leaving a painful bump. Lavender rapidly apologized, all the while, the black creature still flew over them mockingly.

_Bzzz! Bzz! Bzzz-shing -BZZZ!_

Mint and Lavender looked up fearfully where the katana had passed between them to stab into their target.

"That was taking too long." Akira said menacingly, one of Phoenix's katanas still in hand after he had thrown the first.

"What is it?" Sakuya asked, fascinated by the quivering black creature impaled into the wall. It was like a gigantic fly. It was big enough to fit into the palm of her hand. Where a fly's proboscis would normally be, were a pair of snapping pincers and an ugly little mouth. The creature's eyes seemed to swerve about, almost intelligently taking in its situation and planning how to escape. Someone, however didn't give it time to.

"One of my mothers Chimerae." Gabe explained as he wrapped his demonic fingers around the creatures biting head. Its wings beat frantically in protest as he pulled the creatures head off.

"Why are you so hell bent on catching it if you're just going to kill it?" Mint asked, wondering what the point behind their little chase scene.

"This is why." Gabe pulled the katana out of the wall as the tiny body fell into his hand. He closed his hand around it as fire covered his fist. When he next opened his hand all that remained was ashes and a single small kishin egg.

"What the-." Akira retorted as Gabe passed him the small red orb. "Chimerae are created creatures, how does this one possess a soul?"

"Plaguea created one for it. I've only heard of it, but it seems my mother created a type of "special" chimerae."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Meanwhile: In a crumbled building.**

"_This species in particular was designed to burrow into a host body and perform a kind of Soul Possession on its host. The beast would then overcome its victims will and gain a new stronger body of its own to wield."_

Still collapsed on the debris covered floor, was the slowly decaying body of a once great beast. The beast's slayer had left that battle field only an hour ago, knowing there was still more to be done before the night was over. But in his haste he had not been thorough in his defeat of his foe.

"_I don't know how she did it but she was able to replicate will and survival instinct into other species and that single act gave rise to her most dangerous beast. Gave rise to true predators."_

Not far from its original perch, was a grotesque orb. Its long dreadlocks fell about it lifeless. At least, they appeared to be.

As one the tendril like locks squirmed about , reaching outward in all directions. Slowly, they began to rise, bringing their hideous cargo up with them, until they were able to stand, mimicking some kind of grotesque spider.

The beast seven milky orbs stared outward lifeless. Slowly, each orb blinked one of their raggedy lids as black light returned to their surfaces. Insectile pincers clicked together experimentally as a hideous grin spread across the beastly face.

"Happy Birthday."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Meteora!" Wu's flying side kick smashed into his flabby opponent, forcing the Cyclops back as the Iron Boot meister's momentum dug deeper and deeper into its stomach.

"Hhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" Giving a mighty war cry, Wu began to rotate rapidly. The Cyclops groaned in pain as the Cork Screw kick crushed its Ichor made body.

"Hissatsu: Asteroida!"

Wu burst through triumphantly, as the Cyclops fell dead, an ugly hole where its stomach had been. Wu, slid to a halt when he finally touched ground, a proud grin crossing his face as he viewed his handiwork.

"Heh heh. Let's see you get up from that." He mocked. Sure enough, the monster's body began to break down into a squirming white blob. Just as it had done the last few times Wu had "killed" the Cyclops. "Ah, give me a break." The exhausted martial artist groaned.

"We'll be at this all night at this rate." Sora complained, not liking the scratches starting to appear on her metal frame.

"Hah! I can fight all week if he wants!" The determined meister retook his Shaolin stance as the mass of Ichor took to the sky above him and began to retake form as the Cyclops. Wu braced himself to dodge, but suddenly, he found that his had given out on him. Wu looked up, dismayed as Cyclops belly flopped its great girth atop him.

_Slice!_

Wu stared in shock as his monstrous foe was sliced in twain, its bisected halves sparking with blue energy and falling around him. And at the figure clad in black who stood beside him, slowly lowering his karate chop gestured hand.

"Kage Senshi Kei, sanjou (has arrived)."

"Oh wow!" Sora's eyes lit up in awe, her inner otaku completely inraptured by the mask wearing man.

"I will take it from here. I believe some one is trying to get your attention." Kei said, gesturing back toward the wall. Wu strained his eyes to see what the masked man was referring to. He could just make out a blond figure waving toward him atop the battlements.

"Swallowtail." Wu guessed. "Sorry pal, I appreciate you saving my neck and all, but I don't run from fights, so get your -!" He was cut short as an arrow zoomed by his cheek and embedded itself in the ground by his foot. "Hey watch it, blondie!" Wu yelled back to his bow wielding comrade, shaking his fist her way.

"Wu-kun look!" Sora drew his attention back to the arrow to see that it had also been carrying a note, for him.

"Let's see?" Wu snatched up the arrow and gently removed the note from the shaft. He skimmed the note, his eyes widening and a grin returning to his face. To his partner's shock, he instantly jumped to his feet, all semblance of exhaustion lost as he stowed the letter away and turned to face his rescuer. "Alright I'm leaving this to you, just this once. Let's go Sora!"

"Wait! What did the letter say?"

"No time! Jet step!" He immediately sped off toward the city gates, leaving the raging battle field behind.

"Heh." The black haired man smiled after him. "Ah, to be young. To get special notes from special people."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Back with Marie**

"Is it true!" Susan didn't even have time to blink before the Chinese teen cleared the distance to the wall and made the jump to the level. "Is Gabe alive?"

"He is." Marie returned his smile. "He's most likely headed to the center of town because that's where Malus is right now."

"Then we got no time to waste." Once again, Wu snatched up the blind meister. "I gotta take my share out of that bastards hide before Gabe takes all the fun." And without warning or an explanation, Susan found herself alone.

"What was that about?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Back with Malus**

"Well I give you points for stealth, not much for guts though." Malus called after searching his tenth empty house. "At least my brother had the courage to face his end." The witch was slowly beginning to grow bored of his prey's game. As much as he loved the thrill of the hunt, he hated to wait for his meal. "Have it your way then."

Mist flowed to his hand, running up the blade of his wicked great sword.

"Guess I'll just have to draw you out!" He swung out ward with Fenrir, kicking up a blast of frozen wind that caused whatever stood in its course to freeze, be it brick, metal or wood. Malus saw no movement come from the first row of house he hit. "Still not coming out?"

Malus prepared to send out another blast, when suddenly, he felt something begin to wrap about his free arm. He looked down to see a yellow chord running down from his arm to a dark alley. "There you are!" He slammed his hand against the ground, sending a line of ice spikes racing to the alley.

He heard no scream when his spikes reached the alley and decimated the wall he guessed his prey had hid behind. He ripped the chord off as he investigated the too quiet alley.

"Clever." He praised when he found an owner less pointed hat with the face of a chameleon stitched into it.

_Shing!_

Malus heard the ring of steel, and he immediately brought up Fenrir to block as a katana flew through the air toward his face. The blade clattered useless to the ground after bouncing off the harder than stone Ice blade.

"Are you too cowardly to actually fight close range?" He called into the shadows.

"You mean this close?" Angela stated before sliding her next katana between one of the gaps in Malus's armor. Her aim had been perfect and penetration successful as her blade hit the spot where his lung should be.

"Oh, so you do want to fight?" That wasn't the sound of someone who had just gotten his lung punctured. And that was absolutely not sneer of a dying man.

Angela could only yelp in surprise as the male witch's angelic arm back handed her across the cheek, sending her flying.

"I hope that wasn't your only plan of attack." Malus commented, ripping the blue blood covered blade from his arm pit and snapping it in half with his bare hand.

Angela grimaced against the pain in her entire body. That one casual smack had as much force behind it as one of Gabe's punches and it left her bruised all over. The young witch pulled two blades free from her quiver of katanas and used them to support her weight as she forced herself back to her feet.

"I can't lose here." She snarled as she slung off her quiver.

"Hah!" The arrogant witch howled gleefully. "What chance does a miniscule pest like you have?"

"I walk the path of the warrior, for me its victory or death, that's why I absolutely can't lose!" She tossed her satchel skyward, causing the blades to fall out and descend toward her. Angela readied her twin blades as the first katana passed in front of her.

"Infinite Two sword style: Exponential Rain!" She smacked the back of her blade against the incoming katana. "1…" And the next. "2…" Then the two after that. "4…" And so on in that pattern until. "16 blades!"

Angela only got a final glimpse of Malus's sneer before the shower of swords impacted against him, sending up a cloud of dust that shrouded the witch from view.

Angela collapsed to her knees, unable to take the strain as she panted for breathe. Still, she couldn't help but grin. "I may be a pest, but I walk the warrior's path. Don't forget that."

"All I recall is that you said you die when you lose." Angela's eye's widened as the dust cleared. There he stood, katana blades stabbing into his chest, legs and shoulders, and blue blood running down his armored torso, but other wise quite unfazed. "I do hope that means you won't try to run."

Angela couldn't move even if she wanted to run. She was too terrified. All of her attacks were fatal hits and still he shrugged them off without a backwards glance.

"What are you?" She whispered as he stood over her hunched form.

He sneered a final time before raising his great sword over her neck. "God."

That was it then. The only explanation. She was far to outclassed. There was no way for her to win. There was no way she would live past this next swing.

"Speed star!"

A blast of wind forced the young witch to shield her eyes as a familiar black sword intercepted the oncoming great sword. She stared wide eyed up at a familiar back, its blue haired owner wearing an inky black sleeveless shirt with a coiling black scarf flowing from it.

"I think you got something backwards shorty." Black star stated as he forced back Malus's swing. He took a sideway's stance with his blade inside his guard and pointing back behind him and his other hand gripping his shoulder.

"It's you lose when you die. I thought I was clear when I taught you and Gabe that."

"Hmmph." Malus snorted, not pleased with being interrupted. "So I can guess you're one of the reasons my brother has become…imperfect."

"Yep, and I'm gonna tell you two other things that's gonna piss you off." The blue haired man said with a grin. "First, I will defeat you."

"And how is that?" Malus asked with false curiosity.

"Because I and only I will surpass god." Malus's face didn't change but the shift in the air around him suggested he wasn't pleased with this answer.

"Also, Gabe's alive and he's on his way here."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Are you sure we should have left them there?" Sakuya called up to Allison over the roaring noise of Akira's engine.

"Mint and Lavender are there with them, so they should be fine until Xeal wakes up again." Gabe answered.

After Akira got Beltza to eat the Kishin egg, Mint insisted that he go with Allison, Gabe and Sakuya to help with the fight with Malus. It took some time to argue with him, especially since part of the reason was because it would be faster if they rode him there, but eventually he conceded.

"Gabriel-kun, be honest, do you think we have any chance against Malus?" Akira asked.

Gabe became silent. His mind going back to all the pain Malus caused him and others. 'Thomas, Auntie Nadeshiko, Ryuusei.'

"_But let's get real. As if you could actually beat Malus". _

'Shut up!' Gabe shook away the mocking memory of the demon.

"_Gabriel?" _Allison's tone sounded worried. His silence was betraying his thoughts and breaking his promise.

"We'll win." He said confidently.

"But how can you be so sure?"

"Because Malus is my exact opposite." He smiled at their confused silence. "He relies on no one and no one relies on him. That's where me and brother are fundamentally different."

"So, you're saying we can take him together?" Sakuya raised one of her eye brows. "You're saying that?"

Gabriel chuckled, caught. "I know, I went about it the wrong way the last time I faced him. But you guy's are with me now, so I know I can win."

Akira scratched the back of his head uncomfortably, but smiled acceptingly. Sakuya sighed and crossed her arms. "Well if you say it like that how can we lose?"

"_We're with you till the end."_Gabriel felt warmth within his heart and he knew Allison must've been smiling.

"_Most likely he'll stay true to his words and make you watch as he feeds your friends' bodies to the chimerae."_

That's right. No matter what, he'll never let that happen. This time, he will win!

Gabriel revved Akira's handles, sending the Motobike- weapon zooming down through the empty streets.

"Just you wait Malus. We're coming for you."

**And…scene. Apologies if some parts aren't as good as others, again. I had some kind of brain fart. Welp, hope everybody likes this chapter.**

**Please review.**

**I do not own Soul Eater.**


	35. Malus vs Diablon

**Witch vs Witch Hunter. god vs Diablon and god-slayer. (I'm runnin out'a titles)**

High above, over the skies of the chaotic war zone; hovered a colossal chimera. From afar, one would assume this one to be of the 'centipedal' variety. But on close inspection, they would understand how wrong they were.

The beast was atleast three times larger than its cousins, and the specimens making up its body were much more varying. It still possessed the long carapaced body and raven wings of the other's, however it no longer possessed the mandibled head of a black bird. In its place was a reptilian skull wrapped in blackish green scales, yellow eyes that swiveled in all directions, and an enormous snout, filled to the brim with razor sharp teeth.

The chimera sniffed the air warily, alerting its lopsidedly seated rider from her perch on its great platform like head.

"There there, Quatl, my pet." Plaguea ran a comforting hand across her favorite chimerae's brow. "You seem to be spooking my poor little chimera. Reveal yourselves if you please." The witch commanded into the open air.

The clouded landscape was silent, only the flapping wings of the beast beneath her gave away any movement.

"Hhhhhhaaaaahhhhhh!"

Plaguea looked westward as a silver winged object exploded from a nearby cloud and rocketed straight toward them. Plaguea gave a quick click of her tongue, signaling her mount to take evasive maneuvers. The crocodile headed beast twisted its girth to the side as the object flew straight pass. It veered to the side and quickly rose upward, becoming a silhouette against the grinning moon, giving Plaguea a glimpse of golden hair and a flowing black coat.

The object's rider jumped from her perch, her glowing mount immediately dropping after her. Plaguea clicked her tongue once more, prompting a scorpion like creature to scuttle its way into her waiting palm.

The golden haired rider caught her weapon, instantly changing it into a scythe with a blue blade shaped into a wicked parody of the moon behind it.

"Witch Hunter!"

"Harbinger!"

Plaguea brought the scorpion chimera forward, prompting it to transform. Its body collapsed on its self, becoming long and pole like. The creature's legs folded in on themselves as its head and stinger equipped tail extended out in opposite directions. The stinger then glowed dark purple as it became the sharpened blade of a spear.

Witch Hunter clashed against the shaft of Plaguea's newly crafted spear, causing sparks to fly as the two women glared into one another's eyes. The scythe meister pushed harder against their deadlocked weapons. Plaguea realized she was quickly loosing footing as she was pushed lower, almost onto her knees.

"If I'm not mistaken, I am in the presence of a celebrity." Plaguea quipped, clicking her tongue once again. Maka had only time turn her head back as the Chimera's barbed tail twisted around to head straight for her.

"Dammit!" Maka broke their clash, jumping from the flying creature's back to avoid the oncoming tail. She immediately released her weapon and gripped the scythe's pole as the blade shrunk in on itself and the silvery wings flared forth once more.

"That was close." Soul commented as Maka climbed up to balance herself on the flying scythe's shaft.

"Ah, the wings of a Grigori Soul, then I was right. You are Maka Albarn, the legendary Kishin slayer." Plaguea stated an unconcerned grin on her lips.

"I'm Maka Evans now actually." Maka corrected prompting her winged husband to grin. "I know your name as well. Witch Plaguea Ringrose."

"Fury explained everything to you then?"

Maka gave her a blank stare. "Do you mean Gabriel?"

"Ah is that what he calls himself now?" The witch seemed to grasp her heart in pain as she fell to her knees and covered her face as if to cover tears. "Oh how heart breaking! To know that your own child wants neither names you gave him at birth. It makes one wish to cry. Oh why does he not return to my loving arms?"

Maka shot the witch an angry glare. "Yeah you're mother of the freaking year, that's why he ran away in the first place."

The witch instantly ended her charade and shot a skeptical look of her own. "What really have I done wrong? I merely do what is necessary to make my children capable of their full potential, isn't that what all mothers wish?"

"I knew it."

Plaguea raised her eye brow curiously at Maka's retort.

"You're no different. That's the exact same thing Medusa would say. You're no different than she is." Maka's fist tightened in anger.

The name rang a bell with Plaguea. "Is that where you're anger comes from? You believe I am like that child manipulating woman."

"Is their really any difference between you and her?" Soul accused. "You make your own sons as powerful to suit you're needs and when one rebels you have the other get rid of him. Tell me how that counts as good parenting."

"The "difference" between she and I is in the very fact that you believe I am pulling the strings of this battle." The witch explained. "My only goal in life is to insure my children's rise to godhood."

"Then who's in charge here if not you?" Maka demanded.

"I thought that was obvious at this point. It is Malus."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"_As I said, everything is for my children. If he so desires it, I would give my son the world."_

"Hmmph!" Malus stabbed the crystal broad sword into the ground at his feet as he leaned forward upon its hilt. "The fact that he is alive is obvious to me. Or rather you should know, that I had not actually killed him in the first place."

"What?" This was news to Blackstar.

"My intention was never to eliminate him outright, no." Malus brought his hand up to his right eye. "I wanted him to watch as his sanctuary drowned in its own blood. To know that everything he fought so hard to protect, is gone. And then would I give him permission to die after I claimed what is rightfully mine." He closed his hands around his eye, to get his point around.

"_My hope was that they would ascend and rule together as brothers. Malus assumed other things."_

"Why would you do such things to your own brother?" Tsubaki exclaimed from her reflection is Masamune. "Isn't he your own flesh and blood, doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Tsubaki." Black star understood her feelings, having been forced to kill her own brother.

"Hahahahahaha!" The witch through back his head as a cruel cackle escaped his lips. "Are you suggesting I should show compassion for my own weapon? Is that what you fools at Shibusen do?" He broke down into another fit of laughter.

"What's so funny?" BlackStar demanded starting to get annoyed by this freak's laughter. "And what's makes you think he's your weapon?"

"Because he is." Malus wiped a tear from his eyes as he attempted to control his giggling. "He was created to be my weapon and only mine."

"Created?"

"Yes, that is the only reason mother would have given birth to such a lowly creature. The only reason she allowed that swine to impregnate her!" It almost seemed like Malus was talking to himself, as if he stared straight through Black Star. "But why? Why did you give him the other eye, the treasure that was to be my birth right? That must be it, he is to be my right arm. That is the only reason he exist."

Using the wall behind her for support, Angela pulled her battered body back to standing position. "That must be why Gabriel ran away. He was trying to get away from you."

Malus seemed to immediately return to reality at her accusation. "I suppose, he never did understand the true glory in being the right hand of God. So, I had to teach him."

Something about the menace in the witch's words casued Black Star to narrow his eyes suspiciously. Malus grinned as if remembrance of a pleasant dream.

"Yes that was a time I enjoyed. A time when I first understood what it meant to be a god. To have a single beings life at mercy. And every time he refused to reciprocate with my teachings, I simply had to discipline him all the more."

Black Star tightened his grip around Masamune.

"I spent seven long years shaping him into my perfect weapon. I thought I was on the verge of a break through when I had chiseled his spirit down to a near void." Malus's tone then darkened. "But then ran. He abandoned mother and I and when finally we meet again…after I extend so many offers of mercy and all I ask is obedience. What does he do?" Malus quickly drew Fenrir from the ground and pointed it threateningly at Black Star and Angela. "He outright defies me for the sake of you pathetic humans."

Black Star only had time to block Malus's overhead slash. He struggled against the sheer weight of the crystal great sword and the enraged Witch's incredible strength. "All those seven years of my sweat and his blood and tears, waisted!"

That one final declaration had the opposite affect that witch desired. Black Star squared his legs and locked his arms in place. Malus's growled in frustration, no matter how much he pushed he could not force the blue haired man any lower to his knees.

"You." Malus soon found himself being pushed back as the ninja took a determined step forward and then another. "You're the reason for Gabe's sorrow." Black Star twisted his arms over, forcing Masamune under his opponent's great sword. "You're the reason for his pain." He swung upward, knocking Fenrir from Malus's hands and sending it flying upward; cut off from its master it disintegrated into falling ice shards. Black Star pulled his hand back as crackling yellow light filled his fingers. "And you have the gall to say he dosen't deserve to live.

Wide eyed, Malus was sent flying from the force of Black Star's soul wavelength attack. He skidded to a halt, placing a hand upon the dent in his breast plate. "Where did he get so much power from so fast?"

_Twang!_

Malus dodged to the side as a volley of arrows struck the spot where he'd been standing. He searched the rooftops for the archer responsible and was met by a blinding flash of light. He covered his eyes against the glaring brightness.

"Orya!"

Moving on pure instinct, Malus struck back with a might back hand as he countered his attacker's stealthy round house kick. His foe then somersaulted over him, only to smash his metal boot against the back of Malus's head.

The witch tumbled forward, having finally adjusted to the light he was able to see the next, unavoidable assault.

"Climhazzard!" New golden light filled the area. Malus crossed his arms in defense as the powerful slash blast forced him back even further until, finally he was forced against the wall.

"You three!" Black star called with recognition.

"Who the hell are you?" Malus demanded hatefully.

The red haired boy with a golden broadsword resting on his shoulders spoke up first. "We heard everything you said. You will pay for you're transgressions against our comrade."

"Hmph." Malus scoffed as summoned another Fenrir to his hand. "More of my brother's little play mates. Do you honestly believe you stand a better chance than he did?"

"We don't give a damn who you are or who you think you are." The Chinese boy with a metal boot with twin angel wings at its heels declared. "For what you did to Gabe, you'll pay."

Finally, the blond haired with a white crossbow attached to her wrist declared. "We are Shisbusen's Diablon, and we'll be taking you're soul now."

**Ugh! Summers to short! Or I'm to slow. Either way, sorry guy's I probably won't be finishing in time like I promised. College will be starting for me soon so I can't tell you if that means I'll have more or less time to work but I'll try.**

**Please review.**


	36. The unexpected happens

**Okay so, good news and bad news. Good news: I have more time to update, bad news: the reason for this is because I won't be attending a certain something until January, nough said.**

**To struggle against god. The unexpected happens.**

The outnumbered witch looked over the three new combatants, hardly impressed.

"Hehehe." The witch chuckled until he broke out into a full out cackle. "Ahhahahaha! You?! Take my soul?!" His mood instantly darkened as he glared daggers into the Diablons. "This is bad comedy."

"Laugh about this!" Wu, ever the impatient one, made the first move. Whipping out his wing blades he swiped at the male witch with s series of back handed slashes. Malus swiftly brought Fenrir to bare, twisting his wrist to block the meister's unorthodox pattern.

"Hah!" From the corner of his eye, Malus saw the red haired meister charging toward him, his golden great sword pointed back and ready to swing. A wicked green glow filled Malus's right eye as he used his free hand to make a quick upward gesture.

Daniel prepared to cut down the seemingly open witch when a sheet of solid ice sprouted from thin air in front of him, cutting him off from his foe. Not wishing to lose momentum, the blade meister swung forward, shattering the ice like glass.

Malus grinned as the shards of his feeble barrier suddenly stopped mid air.

"What the…?" Daniel stared in shock at the array of ice shards now pointed his way.

"Splinter Rain!"

The ice shards flew forward, too fast for Daniel to lift his Gilgamesh to block.

"The third kata: Tsukiyoha!"

Daniel watched in awe as the black shuriken sliced through row after row of the projectiles, constantly altering its own course so it would not miss a single one.

"I had dibs on this freak first; you twerps need to step back!" Black Star called as he caught his partner mid flight. He then pulled back for another toss.

Wu, noticing the incoming attack, disengaged from his struggle against Malus and back flipped to safety.

"You won't escape!" Malus snarled after him preparing to give chase. However, a whirring sound behind him caught his attention. He had only enough time to duck before Tsukiyoha took his head off.

"Yahoo! Speed Star!" Moving at his top speed, the silver haired ninja somersaulted over his ducking foe and landed just beside Malus, his elbow and fist leading.

"Black Star Big Wave!" The soul force blast sent the off guard Malus reeling, right into Marie's line of fire.

"Explosive Arrow: Black Eagle!" The explosive tipped arrows hit the ground at the witch's feet, knocking him off his feet and into the air.

"Now you're mine!" Wu rushed beneath the falling Malus, his white soul flaring up beneath him, causing Sora's blades to start spinning at high speeds.

"Jet Frenzy!" Wu smashed his foot into the witch's jaw as his flip kick met his target.

The apparently stunned witch was sent hurling through the air until he landed in a seemingly broken heap onto the ground.

The gathered meisters stared cautiously at their downed foe. For what seemed like minutes they just stared, unsure if he was down for good. After another minute, he answered for them.

The wind suddenly picked up around them, prompting the group to raise their weapons defensively for what was to come. Dust and debris began gathering around the downed witch as the air seemed to be drawn in around him. And then they saw it. It flared up almost instantly it was so large that it had enveloped them without their knowing it.

His soul grew to encompass the entire block and continued to grow past that. It was an empty gray, deprived of any warmth in color and emotion. At its top was a pair of angelic wings. They stretched out as if to take the entire city under them. It would have seemed comforting had those very wings not been covered in blood that ran down from their tips down to the top of the soul where it gathered and swirled into the shape of a colossal hoop with golden thorns interwoven into it.

The soul then faded away back into non existence as the meisters realized that their opponent had risen back to his feet.

Malus non-chanlantely began to wipe the dust and dirt from his pure white sleeves. He then shrugged out of his golden breast plate and pauldrons as they had been dented and damaged beyond his further use. Now revealing the blue blood stained shirt he tutted over his appearance.

"It seems I've allowed you all to have a little too much fun." He then noticed that his great sword had once again been shattered, destroyed without his knowing it.

"You've even broken Fenris twice tonight." Casting aside the broken icicle blade he summoned not just a new great sword but an icicle with a horned guard that wrapped around his arm. He then held the pommel of his new Fenris parallel with Hrunting's guard. White mist spread between the two weapons. Hrunting then seemed to melt from Malus's arm and soon began to grow out from Fenris's pommel.

"There." Malus chuckled finished with his new weapon. He began twirling the dual ended blade one handed over his head. Pleased he then turned back to the stunned meisters.

"This isn't good." Leon commented as the Witch began to slowly prowl ever closer toward them.

"Let me fight too." Angela said, struggling to stand up on legs that refused to stop wobbling.

"Not in your condition Angela." Tsubaki said.

"But I can still…" The young witch started but she was cut off as her fatigued kicked in once again. Luckily, Marie was there to catch her.

"There you have it." Black star stated, turning away from his apprentice. "You'll only get in our way. Swallowtail, lead her away from here while we keep her busy."

"Understood." Marie began to drag the uncoperative witch away when suddenly; a row of crystal stalagmites sprang from the ground, cutting off their escape.

"Now we'll have none of that." Malus stated, shaking a finger at them. "As much as I would enjoy another hunt, my dear blade has become quite aggravated from its lack of a meal. And just to make sure there are no more attempts to escape…"

Mist gathered in the air high above them at the wave of the arrogant witch's hand. The teens stared upward in shock as literally hundreds of blade sharp ice spikes formed each one aimed in their general area. "My aim isn't actually very good, however…" Malus started with a gleam of glee. "One step out of this area and these shards will come down, and I don't think all of you will come out of that unscaythed."

"Is this all a game to you?!" Wu demanded.

"But of course." Malus answered smugly. "As the god who will lead the next era am I not entitled to my pleasures?" He pointed his weapon at his gathered targets and grinned expectantly. "The thrill of the hunt has been my oldest form of entertainment but even more than that is the thrill of the kill. It's my turn to play offense now."

(Hit the music: Double Action Gaoh form (explaination later))

_Soon, everything will come under my fangs_

_For everything exist to be my meal_

_What I desire most is my absolute rule_

_But what is this… Courage?_

_I cannot stand it!_

"Here he comes!" Black Star called, prompting the Diablons to ready their weapons.

"Struggle all you want, you cannot deny the inevitable truth…" Malus suddenly veered away countering Black Star to target the member of their group who was already weighed down with the life of another. "… You will all die one by one!"

_Hunting within the Lands of Death_

_These fangs of mine are not to be reckoned with_

_Fangs and power, a Double-Action_

_Who dares stand up next?_

_You won't stop me, for sure_

"He's coming Marie!" Robyn alerted his blind partner who immediately dropped her burden safely behind while she notched another arrow.

"Leave me!" Angela demanded her, trying once again to rise. Mariam ignored and loosed her second fluorescent arrow, hoping to buy them time.

The blast of light exploded across the charging Malus. He emerged from the phosphorous light with his dual ended blade blocking his face. "Petty tricks like that won't save you."

"Then how about this one!" Marie loaded a bronze arrow with a spaded point into her crossbow and pulled back with all her might as her pink soul flared up over her. "Ballistic Arrow: Rampart Albatross!" The bronze arrow smacked into the oncoming blade.

"And what was…?" His question was answered for him as the arrow grew enormous in size and began propelling him backwards. "Impressive." He sneered. "But still not good enough!" He slammed the tip of his blade directly into the ground, slowing his obstacles momentum until it came to a complete stop. "Here, this is yours!" Retracting his blade from the ground he then smashed the side of it against the colossal arrows head, sending it careening back to its blind and unknowing shooter.

_I will exceed all of God's power_

_And achieve the pleasant miracle of erasing fear_

_There are just too many disgusting things_

_An appropriate world is within my right hand_

"Watch out!"

Malus grinned as the wall the ballistae smashed into toppled atop his prey. He casually waltzed over to the scene of the destruction. His foot tapped against a small white object, which he picked up to get a better look at. It was the blond haired girl's wrist crossbow. Malus chuckled pleased as he dropped the metal and wooden weapon back to the ground and crushed it to splinters beneath his foot.

"Robyn? Robyn!" A cry from the rubble lead him to a pile of disturbed debris where sure enough his quarry waited. The blind girl desperately attempted to shake awake her weapon partner who had apparently covered her and the injured witch with his own body.

_When two becomes whole_

_Then I will become a God_

_A Double-Action of Divine providence and genocide_

_Now for my ultimate feast_

Malus chuckled as he raised his blade over head, ready to deliver the finishing blow to his pinned prey.

"No you don't!" Malus twisted his blade around just in time to block the oncoming axe kick from Wu. Sora's metal wings scraped against the crystal hard ice of Malus's new blade as Wu pushed harder and harder against the greater than human strength of the male witch.

_Now is the time_

_What my thirsty fangs seek,_

_Is the taste of absolute power._

_If this lies only in the area of God_

_I shall obtain it at once_

"You're open!" Black Star leaped forward, Tsukiyoha clasped around his wrist as his soul wave length coupled with the dark shuriken's own, turning his forearm jet black. "Soul Threat!"

"Not quite!" Malus caught the oncoming palm strike with his free hand and gripped as hard as he could to prevent escape. "Sub-Zero Bite!"

_Hunting within the Lands of Death_

_Only the pure deserve to live._

_Fangs and power, a Double-Action_

_Whose hate shall I taste next?_

Black Star growled against the pain as the witch's own wavelength over powered his own and an overwhelming chill filled his captured arm. Grayish frost began to run up the shinobi's forearm.

"Struggle all you wish, you won't break free from my grip." The evil witch declared victoriously.

"That's the point dip shit." Malus's eyes widened in confusion as the black shuriken changed shape once again. "The first kata: Kengoku!" The black chain weapon independently wrapped its chains around the confused Malus's forearm, chaining him to the frozen grip of her meister.

Now Malus was trapped, both his arms were fending off attacks from both sides and his one remaining foe was charging toward his exposed back.

_When two becomes whole_

_Then I shall become a god_

_A Double-Action of Divine Providence and Genocide_

_Now for my ultimate feast_

_The time has come._

"Take him down Leon!" Wu called.

The cobalt blue soul rose up around the red haired swordsman as the golden blade of his great sword roared to life.

Malus felt a very nervous chill run down his spine as the golden light rose to its apex.

"This ends now!" Daniel declared as he prepared to bring Gilgamesh crashing down on his foe. "Climmhaz-!"

Wu and Black Star watched in shock as Daniel suddenly dropped his weapon and fell to his knees in a heaving and hacking fit. Blood poured from his mouth as the boy grasped his abdomen in pain.

"It can't be… from back then!"

"_Hack!" Leon practically collapsed then and there as the beast's wavelength charged claws dug in his stomach._

"Kuhahaha." Malus chortled in relief. "It seems destiny has conspired against you, fools." Taking a firm grip on Kengoku's chains, Malus twisted around, bringing the entwined Black Star around with him. The ninja made flail was flung through the air to smash into the distracted Wu, sending both combatants sprawling back.

Daniel found himself lifted off his feet as Malus's white hand wrapped about his throat. The witch dug his sword into the ground and used his now free hand to tear away a section of Leon's blood stained shirt.

"As I thought." He commented. Daniel's torso was riddled with several puncture wounds, each had lines of blood pooling down the meister's stomach. "I recognize these wounds. You've faced Peccatum have you not? What arrogance, to think you'd attempt to face me after facing that monstrosity."

Daniel said nothing, he only glared into his enemies cruel, red eyes.

"I don't like that look." Malus mood darkened. "That look reminds me of my brother's when ever he tries to disobey me. It vexes me." Malus retrieved his blade from the dirt as he tossed aside the helpless meister. "It's seems you'll be the first on the chopping block." Malus pulled his blade back as a series of sharpened ice spikes grew from the Fenris side of his weapon. "Loki Fangs!"

"Leon get out of their!" Wu called to his teammate, but unfortunately the red haired boy was still in too much pain from his wounds and was unable to rise to his feet to dodge as the shower of icicles zoomed toward him.

_Shing! Stab! Stab!_

"Hmph. More delays." Malus grumbled.

Daniel stared up in horror at the three figures that appeared to shield him from the oncoming blades. All three of the girls had their backs to Malus as they smiled reassuringly to their meister. Icicles riddled their backs and could be seen stabbing through their arms, hands and legs.

"No,no,no! Why did you do that!?" Cried in despair as Hana and Rosa fell forward, succumbing to their wounds. Fauna, ever the stoic one merely cursed as she fell to a knee.

"That's gonna be sore later." She joked pitifully.

"Why!?" Daniel demanded again.

"Isn't it obvious?" Malus said catching Daniel's attention. "They're weapons. Its their duty to give their lives for their master." Malus grinned as if pleased. "It's nice to know some weapons understand that."

"Shut up!" Daniel cried angrily. "These girls aren't tools. They're my irreplaceable partners. I…I would never put their lives ahead of my own!"

Malus shook his head and sighed. "I grow tired of your backwards opinions." He turned the Hrunting end of his weapon toward Leon as gray mist swirled around its blade. "But if you insist, I'll kill you first."

Daniel took a position in front of the kneeled Fauna and the two others collapsed on the ground. He threw his arms out beside him in order to completely cover the girls.

"Very well then." Malus thrust Hrunting forward, watching in anticipation of the kill as his blade grew out longer and longer, racing toward its target.

As the charging blade came ever closer, Daniel became ever aware of his surroundings. He saw Wu quickly unscramble himself from the ground and attempt to rush to his aid, but he would never get their in time. He saw Tsubaki kneeling beside the wounded Black Star who grasped his ice covered arm in agony. He noticed that Angela and Mariam had succeeded in pulling the still unconscious Robyn from the fallen rubble. He even heard the distant low rumble of a motor that seemed to be coming ever closer. But none of it mattered. The blade was only feet away from his chest. All could do was stand his ground, close his eyes and embrace death.

_Shing!_

Daniel opened his eyes, expecting to see a crystalline blade piercing his chest. But all he saw was red. Were his eyes filling with his own blood?

Unable to help himself he rubbed his eyes and realized that blood was covering his face, also it was not his.

"Danny." Fauna called pitifully, grasping the icy spear that penetrated through her chest. Leon couldn't speak. He couldn't think. A single thought filled his mind and burned itself in the back of his brain.

**FAUNA IS DYING**

Malus scoffed but shrugged, satisfied with his kill. He wrenched his enlarged blade free, causing the dying girl to fall forward into her meister's arms. Her blood stained his chest as he pulled her close.

His throat could utter only a single word. "Why?"

"Because, that cold hearted bastard was right about it being our duty to protect our meister. That's why Fletch covered Marie with his own body. That's why Hana and Rosa took those shots for you. And that's why…" She coughed up blood as her chest shook painfully from the act of breathing. "That's why I did this in order to protect you."

"But that can't be right!" He cried sinking to his knees with her still in his arms. "I should die to protect you not the other way around."

Fauna uttered a weak chuckled. "Chauvinistic dumb ass. It doesn't matter which of us dies, as long as the man I love is alive I can die happy."

"Fauna."

"Can I ask you one last thing?"

"Save your strength."

"It's fine. I don't need it anymore." She pulled her face up so he would look him in the eye. "If… if you had to choose between me, Rosa and Hana, which would you love in the end?"

Her question stunned him to silence. "I…"

"Would you choose me?"

He still did not answer and he seemed to be making a point of trying to avoid eye contact. Despite all this, she smiled sadly and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"Goodbye Danny."

"Fauna? Fauna!" He called her name as her head fell forward against his chest. He still called out to her as warmth left her cheeks and the breath ceased in her lungs. He called to her as the sword wielding shadow fell over him, with its weapon raised.

"I grow bored of this drama." Malus said preparing to take the meister's head from his shoulders and cease his cries.

_Vroom!_

Malus turned as a roaring blue object vaulted over the line of stalagmites he had created earlier. His eye's widened as its brown haired rider stuck out her foot to smash into his face, sending him flying backwards.

The blue motocross bike skidded to a halt beside the crying Leon. Leon looked up as a pair of concerned maroon eyes stared down at the limp form in his arms and the two prone bodies behind him. The familiar face of Allison Rogers stared pained into his eyes, hoping she was wrong. His face hid nothing.

"Bitch!" Malus snarled as he pulled himself back to his feet. "I have had it with these distractions." He snapped his finger causing the icicles over head to quiver to life. "Die like that foolish woman."

Allison's back straightened at his comment. Her hands quivered and her grip tightened around her sheathed katana.

"Buster! Incoming!"

Allison wrenched her blade free, causing it to blaze to life. She swung outward to ward the oncoming spikes. The tip of her sword exploded outward as a line of fire flew skyward, taking the form of a fiery serpent.

"That's…Leviathan!" Malus said in shock.

Leviathan crashed into the oncoming storm, shattering and melting the ice in the blink of an eye. Heat filled area. Black Star stared in shock as his arms icy restraint melted away, the pain completely faded. Even Malus became wide eyed when he realized that his crystaline weapon was beginning to drip with released moisture.

Leviathan gave a final roar of triumph before evaporating back into the flames of Sakuya's Katana.

"You…who are you?!" Malus demanded.

The brown haired girl wearing a familiar black coat and white fedora turned to face him. One of her eyes was a red exactly like his own and the other was a light blue with a single tear escaping down her cheek. Two voices cried out as one as a gigantic red soul flared up around the girl. One voice contained rage long contained that was finally and gloriously allowed freedom and the other cried out in fury renewed as sorrow filled her soul.

"**Zettai ni Yurusanai!"**

**Hic! I'm sorry I just get so emotional during these sad death scenes. (Blows on tissue)**

**Fauna: You're despicable.**

**And now I'm done. So yeah, great come back right? Now about my explanation: The song Double-action Gaoh form is a real song I however tweaked the lyrics to match Malus while hoping to stick to the beat of the song. This will probably be the only time I use this song so don't worry about it if you don't like it.**

**So:**

**I do not own Soul Eater nor its original characters**

**I also do not own the song Double Action Gaoh form.**

**Please review.**


	37. Four on one

**4-on-1. Rage and sorrow against unyielding malice.**

Malus starred awestruck at the fiery eyed being standing before him. There was no mistaking it. Those eyes, that voice and that ever encompassing red soul that quivered with every restrained sounding breath the Gabriel possessed girl took.

"I don't believe it. You-you found a meister?!" Malus practically cried in outrage.

"How very peculiar."

Malus followed the sound of his mother's voice and found her above him, riding atop a smaller cousin of her favored mount. She intuitively looked over the petite girl her son was being wielded by. In turn, Gabriel stared back at the mother he had left almost a decade ago.

The witch ordered her Chimera lower so that she could stand beside Malus and confront her wayward offspring on equal ground.

"My child it has been to long." Plaguea stepped forward with her arms out wide, as if expecting her youngest child to rush into her arms. Gabriel instead lowered Sakuya respectively.

"Lady Plaguea."

Plaguea, not seeming surprised by the cold greeting lowered her arms. "Truly this is unconventional family reunion. But it is a time to celebrate! Our family is together again."

"I don't see how me pointing a katana at my friend's murderer and telling you both to leave before I burn you, can be counted as a family reunion."

"How dare you talk to mother like that!" Malus almost charged at his defiant sibling and put an icicle between his meister's eyes, but Plaguea raised an arm to halt him.

"Indeed, we seem to be on opposing sides at this moment. But, now I wonder why? Why do you deny your greater impulses? Why fight for the reaper and petty humans when yours and your brother's destiny demands so much more?" She called out to him. A mother trying to put her son on a path she believed right for him. He would have none of it.

"My fighting my impulses is the only things keeping you two from being turned to ash. But if you insist-" Gripping Sakuya with both hands and pulling her back beside him. "Ho-oh hou!"

The red crescent blast soared forth from his swing, heading straight for the unarmed Plaguea. The blast impacted against its target, sending up a cloud of smoke.

"Did you get her?" Akira, having retaken human form, asked. As the smoke began to clear, the meisters caught a glimpse of a sparkling white mass smoldering where the blast had hit it.

"Does your lowliness know no end?" Malus asked, freeing his glaive from the ground where he had used it to block the blast from him and Plaguea. "Our gracious mother has offered you a final chance to embrace your destiny and you spit it in her face!?"

"To hell with my destiny!" Gabe/Allison charged forward despite Akira's call to stop, Gurren Gari gleaming blood red in the night air. "And to hell with you!"

(Hit the music: DMC ost Now you've really crossed the line)

Fenris and Gurren Gari clashed together, sending up a blast of wind that knocked all non-combatants back. Gabe broke off first and came in with heavy handed diagonal slash. Malus blocked the two handed blow and countered with a mighty thrust forward with the Hrunting end. Gabe caught the long blade on his demonic arm, red blood flowing where the thrust had barely penetrated his scales.

_Now you've really crossed the line  
>Your hate for me is divine<br>My love yearns your suffer  
>On your grave lurks my prosper<em>

"Kneel!" Malus commanded as Hrunting's extending blade forced the Devil Buster back. Gabe/Allison's feet skidded against the concrete as she struggled against the glaive's mighty force.

"Gyro Kick!" Akira, wheel on his leg whirring to life dashed along side the struggling shibusen meister and knocked the long blade away with a mighty round house kick.

Allison steadied her feet back on the ground and lifted her sword up, once again preparing to meet the hateful witch blade to blade.

_Taunt more as a lure but it's no use  
>Knots tight my excite I prepare the noose<br>Say no more it's time for you to make your move  
>My blackened soul lit by your fuel<em>

"Hang on let's think this through." Akira grabbed the enraged meister's shoulder. "We need to come up with some kind of a plan."

"No I don't!" Allison broke free of the Bio's hold and charged, Akira, reluctantly, in hot pursuit.

"Come, and be a feast for my blade!" Malus swung his now icicle covered glaive toward the charging two, sending a spray of icy shrapnel flying right at them.

The speedy Akira easily dodged to the side, however, Gabriel was too blinded by fury to think about avoiding damage. He hacked and slashed at any icy blades that dared impede his path. Still, icicles sliced into his cheeks, legs and shoulders as they went soaring by. He could have sworn he heard a girl's voice calling out a name to him but he ignored it and continued to rush forward.

_Implodes your moral and drain your pride  
>Too late for debate or run and hide<br>Time to take your life it tolls the bell  
>To your hell I'd like to welcome you<em>

"Zantetsuken!" Switching to reverse hand, the Devil Buster prepared to slice his half brothers head from his shoulders but his plans were thwarted as a cyclone of icy wind knocked his katana from his hands.

"Raging Tundra." Malus sneered at his unarmed foe. "You're mine!" His pale angelic arm crackled with gray electricity as he jabbed forward. His hand was pointed directly for Gabriel's heart. No. Directly for Allison's heart!

"NO!" Gabriel smashed his own fist into Malus's open palm. Red energy crackled through his arm as an explosion of red flame knocked the witch back.

"Have you come to your senses yet?" Akira slid into position beside Gabe, Sakuya in hand.

"I told you to be careful with her! Now look what you've done!" Gabriel looked down at himself. It was true, blood flowed from multiple wounds on Allison's arms, legs and even one icicle had sliced a deep cut into her hip. This had been the first time he had allowed her to be hit in this form and the feeling of guilt left a bitter taste in his mouth.

_I'm fine. We shouldn't stop and worry over me if we want to stop him._

He could hear Allison's calls of assurance, but his eyes roved back over the wound on her hip. His gaze then shifted to the sight of Daniel, cradling the body of fauna in his arms while the unmoving forms of Hana and Rosa lay next to him, his and Fauna's jackets lying nearby and covered in blood, most likely after being used to stop their bleeding. As they were, Gabriel could not tell if they were alive, the same could be said for Robyn and Angela as Marie knelt over her wounded partner; his head in her lap; and Tsubaki attempting to wrap up Angela's beaten and bruised mid section. All the while Black Star stood by. Gabe saw the blood running down his hands, he must have been protecting the others from the damage the two's duel was causing to the area. They had all been hurt by his carelessness.

"No, they're right." Gabe muttered. "I'm the one who said we need to cooperate if we want to stop Malus. I let my anger get the better of me again, I can't let that happen now."

"Understand that you are not the only one with a stake in this battle." Akira said, handing the still fuming Sakuya back to Allison/Gabe. "I want to put my fist between that arrogant sneer of his just as much as you do, but we stand a far better chance of doing that if we take him together."

"Right." Gabe raised Sakuya again. "I'll take point. While I have him distracted try to flank him."

"No problem I was trained to work in a unit, this is my specialty." He grabbed the handle that had appeared on his shoulder and ran the engine, causing it to roar to life.

All the while, Malus was pulling himself up from his impact against a far wall. He then saw the two meister's moving in unison toward him.

"Hmph. No matter if it's one, two or ten of you, I will carve up any and all who stand in the way of my ascension to godhood." Retrieving his glaive and resting it atop his shoulders the witch marched forward to face his cautious foes with an evil grin splayed across his face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Throughout the entire clash, Plaguea had watched her youngest-born's combat prowess with clear admiration. And she scowled how easily it soon faded when he had become conscious of his meister's well being.

'How is this fragile girl suitable to be a vessel for Fury's power?' The witch pondered. 'By all logic only Malus, a being possessing a body as durable as his own should be able to wield him.' As the witch pondered this conundrum she was unaware of a presence behind her until a violet scythe blade had encircled her, its tip pointed at her throat.

"Well this is a surprise." Plaguea commented as Maka emerged from the shadows. "I had thought that my pet would be able to keep you preoccupied for the time being?"

"I'm afraid your overgrown worm only settled as an appetizer." Maka said, her green eyes gleaming with a cold edge.

"Oh how terrible." Plaguea mock sobbed. "He was a good pet, hard to breed and even harder to train."

"The let me put you out of your grief!" Maka could have easily have taken the woman's head off with the slightest twitch of her wrist, however, Plaguea's spear, Harbinger, immediately formed in her hands, stopping Soul's scythe from reaching its target.

"I'm afraid I must suffer a little longer. A mother's work is never done after all."

"I agree!"

Plaguea and Maka broke off as a miniature typhoon slammed into the spot where Plaguea had been standing. Rain pelted the spot as a red haired form stepped from the resulting cover of mist.

"Sorry we're late." Natsumi called over to Soul and Maka as Hisako leveled the shield-blade toward the witch responsible for her cities peril.

"Oh, another Death Scythe wielder. And to whom do I owe the pleasure." Plaguea curtsied mockingly.

"Fugiri Hisako, Gabriel's home room teacher." Hisako introduced.

"Death Scythe Tsuname Natsumi, Shibusen's head nurse." Natsumi followed.

"Well met. I am Plaguea Ringrose."

"I know who you are." Hisako spat. "You're the woman who spawned that monster that killed Thomas. The mother who stood by and watched as her own child was tortured by that same monster. Its no wonder he left!"

"You sound quite personal in your spite. Could you be the one who took up my role as his maternal care giver?" Plaguea almost seemed skeptical in her observation.

"I did the best I could to undo the damage you wrought." The structures surrounding the three women shook as Hisako's scarlet red soul formed around her. Pipes suddenly broke loose from the buildings and concrete around and beneath them, streams of water rising up to meet the tip of Natsumi's blade. "Now I can hope to undo a little more, by putting you out of his misery!" The water gathered, flattening itself into the form of a whirring disk.

"Tch! What a disgraceful woman. Attack!" The centipede chimera heeded the call of its master and charged through the alley at break neck speeds, its razor sharp mandibles looking to chew into the red haired woman.

"Ryuujin no kiba (Fang of the water dragon)!" With a wave of Hisako's blade the disk sprang into action, cleaving the charging beast into two.

"Impressive." Plaguea congratulated. "You seem capable with such a powerful weapon. But I wonder…" Plaguea crossed her arms over her chest as a distorted rainbow colored orb rose up around her. "…Just how capable?"

"She's going to use magic, get ready!" Maka ordered as she brought Soul up defensively. Hisako did the same, smiling as she stood beside her senior.

"It's been awhile since we've fought together. I missed this."

Maka returned the smile. "Don't get to moony eyed yet or you'll break out in wrinkles. Here she comes!" Both woman turned serious gazes to their foes as she began her chant. Just like the beautiful colors of her soul, the song she chanted was distorted. It became a tainted replica of a children's rhyme that spoke of only death.

"Ring around the rosies…

Pocket full of posies…"

She began to twist and curve her fingers in tune with her song, drawing multiple circles in the air with the tip of her finger which glowed with an eerie purple light.

"Ashes to ashes…

And dust to dust."

Her spell completed and a ring of violet circles drawn in the air before her, Plaguea glared at her opponents expectantly. She pressed her hands against the back of the ring, prompting hooked spikes to appear from each of them. "Rose Thorns!"

As one the hooks shot from their perches, still interconnected by long blood red strands.

"Here they come!" Maka took the front and began twirling her scythe end over end in her hands. Her hopes were that the strands would crash into the slicing shield that was her weapon and be destroyed. Plaguea rectified that situation with an upward twitch of her finger, causing each of the zooming spears to head skyward and around her defense.

"Watch out!" Hisako pulled her colleague back as the strands impacted against her position.

"I'm afraid you should not expect the same outcomes from a duel with me as you should with Medusa." Plaguea commented. Her point was made as the concrete where her spears had hit began to hiss, crack and slowly dissolve into a waxy melted paste.

"These things are acid tipped!" Natsumi exclaimed.

"Oh man, nothing cool about melting to death." Soul gulped.

"No choice though." Maka stated getting a firmer grip on Soul. "We have to stop her or this war will only continue. (hint hint)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(Hit the Music: DMC Taste the blood)

_The flinch in your eyes calls your bluff  
>Feel free to die when you've had enough<br>Useless cause is breaking your back  
>Your life will end when you attack<em>

"C'mon you ignorant insects. Swarm all you wish, insects will only ever be insects." Malus smashed his palm against the ground sending a line of frozen stalagmites that scattered the charging Akira and Allison.

"You still talk too much!" Gabe/Allison brought her burning fist around into the ground causing her own pillar of fire to demolish the approaching spires. Malus snarled in frustration at having his attack canceled out. He took a super human leap through the air, pointing his glaive downward.

_Make your move  
>Make your stand<br>Make the win  
>(Hah) Like you can<em>

"Die!"

Allison saw the meteoric attack coming and summoned more fire to her feet. She broke off at a run and leaped skyward, smashing her blazing dropped kick technique into Malus sword. "Lucifer Rising!"

_See the war  
>See me rule<br>See the mirror  
>You'll see a fool<em>

Malus hit the ground with a thud, smashing the ground with his fist and glaring at the female meister with contempt. "What do you hope to accomplish with defeating me? Can't you feel it?!"

"You're stalling." Gabe shot back.

"Am I?" Malus giggled as if he knew a private joke. "Are you telling me that even you, my own flesh and blood can't sense the change in the wind? The world is about to change drastically, with or without my aid."

"Is there a point to this?"

"The point is that you are a fool, brother." Malus pointed to extenuate his point. "I am not the evil one here, oh no he is yet to be born on this Earth. I am the one who is destined to save this world by destroying it and thus destroy him, and thus preserve peace!"

"_He_?" Gabriel raised his eye brow in confusion.

"Yes! HE!" Malus howled in delight. "The madness in the world quivers in anticipation of his birth. The birth of a new demon lord. A new Asura!"

_To take me out you must fight like a man  
>(To take me out you must fight like a man)<br>You've yet to proven that you can  
>(You've yet to proven that you can)<br>I see your might it compares to something  
>That is if something is nothing<em>

Gabe was speechless. He made no move to counter this claim, stunning though it was. He knew his brother had always had delusions of grandeur but his claims of the world's wrongness had always had basis in fact, but still…

As Gabe pondered this conundrum he did not notice that Malus had summoned more icicles to race toward him until…

_Time to figure  
>Time to sin<br>Your times done  
>When you begin<em>

"_Gabriel!"_

"Hmm?!" Gabe cart-wheeled back as the first volley stabbed into the ground at his feet. He had to roll to the side to escape the second. Malus cackled as he readied the third.

"Now that you understand, you should know that resisting me is pointless. Would you damn the entire world just for the sake of a few human lives?"

_Live for suffer  
>Life for revenge<br>Know your life  
>Comes to an end<em>

"The world is damned either way!" Gabe spat back. "This world does not need you and your methods. I'll say it again: To sacrifice millions of lives is not the way to save the world."

"Are you saying you know of a better way?!"

"I'm saying that if I were in your position I would never allow a single innocent sacrifice. If it were me, I would put only one life on the line, mine and mine alone!"

_Taste the blood  
>Taste your fate<br>Swallow your pride  
>With your hate<br>Your last breath  
>Your last stance<br>The last of all  
>In your command<em>

"That naïve viewpoint is why you are the weaker one. Do you honestly think you can defeat the Kishin alone?" He snarled summoning a gigantic icicle that rocketed its way to the waiting Devil Buster.

Gabe cracked his fist and leaped to meet the colossal projectile. "I will defeat him!" Gabe's fist flared up as he rapidly pummeled the ice block with his Jigoku Reppu technique. The icicle crumbled in the face of his counter attack as Gabe/Allison hit the ground at a roll. Gabe smirked when he met his brother's snarl. "And I'm not alone."

_Knee's in the blood  
>With your crying pleas<br>Wade in your sorrow bathe  
>In your fear<br>Clear your mind  
>From righteousness suffered<br>Witness the moment your  
>Failures Prosper<em>

"Spinout!" Akira took advantage of Malus's distracted state to pick up speed and flip into a handstand. He kicked his legs out at 180 degrees and rapidly began turning on the palms of his hands. Malus was blindsided by the incoming spin kick and was sent hurling into the crumbling wall of a building.

"Irksome pest!" Malus snarled as he extracted himself from the debris of the demolished wall. He raised the Fenrir end of his glaive skyward with one hand, white mist swirled around it as it grew larger and larger. "I'm going to exterminate you here and now!"

Gabe regrouped with Akira as the two watched in awe of the sheer size of their foes weapon. It had grown to be at least forty feet tall and it was covered in wickedly sharp icicle spikes.

"You with me?" Gabe asked Akira with an expectant grin his fist covered in crimson flames.

"Try to keep up." Akira smirked back a wheel appeared behind his wrist and with two twist of his handle, immediately whirred to life causing his hand to rotate rapidly.

"Let's go!"

(Hit the music: The time has come)

_The time has come and so have I  
>I'll laugh last cause you came to die<br>The damage done the pain subsides  
>And I can see the fear clear when I look in your eye<em>

Malus saw the two ready their attacks and snarled in challenge. "Your lives are mine! Feral Impact!" He smashed his humongous great sword downward atop the two meisters.

"Devil Dynamite!

"Accel Lancer!"

The two techniques met Malus's deadly blade, the insuing clash caused the two to grunt in strain as the heavy handed attack began to slowly overpower them.

Malus cackled in delight. "Well isn't this familiar. We've done this dance once already brother, and it will end the same!" Malus then placed his remaining hand to his glaives hilt and pushed down. Gabe and Akira cried out in pain as they were forced to hunch down, practically on their knees. "That's right kneel! Kneel in the face of your doom! Nothing can save y-!"

_Shing!_

_I never kneel and I'll never rest  
>You can tear the heart from my chest<br>I'll make you see what I do best,  
>I'll succeed as you breathe your very last breath<em>

Malus roared in pain as a thin blade stabbed through his left bicep. He glared into the tired but determined eyes of his attacker who had at some point acquired one of Angela's forgotten katanas.

"That was for Fauna." Daniel muttered. He sliced downward severing the angelic appendage from its shocked owners shoulder. "Now Gabriel!"

Gabe/Allison's left eye flashed violet as he gripped his free left hand tightly. Blue lines spread across the feminine forearm which was soon followed by raging scarlet flames that gathered in his fist. The devil buster gave a mighty battle cry and smashed his burning left fist into the side of the great blade, smashing it to icy splinters.

_Now I know how the angel fell [JUST KNEEL]  
>I know the tale and I know it too well [JUST BOW]<br>I'll make you wish you had a soul to sell [soul to sell]  
>When I strike you down and send you straight to hell<em>

"Impossible!" Malus cried holding the gaping wound where his left arm had been. But the Devil Buster wasn't through yet. His red eyes burning with fury, Gabe charged his wounded brother.

Now pushed to desperation, Malus swung out with the Hrunting end of his blade. Gabe slid beneath the swooping blade and turned on his opponent with his feet blazing. Malus attempted another swing but Gabe smashed the blade away with his Djinni Wing attack. He then turned on the balls of his feet and landed a series of spinning round house kicks to the side of his brother's face. "Ho-oh Senpukyaku! (Phoenix Whirlwind Kick)"

The dazed witch stumbled back from the assault; right into Akira's waiting arms.

_My army comes from deep within  
>Beneath my soul-beneath my skin<br>As you're ending, I'm about to begin  
>My strength His bane~and I will never give in<em>

"For Beltza and Sho!" Akira declared as he smashed his rotating fist straight into Malus's chin, hurling him end over end into the air.

"And this…" Gabe muttered as his burning membranous wings grew out from Allison's shoulders. He took to the sky, Gurren Gari slid back into its sheath. Malus watched as the red blur that was his brother swerved around him to hover over him. "This is for Thomas!

_I'll tell you now I'm the one to survive  
>You never break my faith or my stride<br>I'll have you choke on your own demise  
>I make the angel scream, and the devil cry<em>

Gabe dive bombed his defenseless sibling, one hand around Sakuya's hilt the other on her sheath. "Gurren…" He became a red blur as he passed his target and hit the ground at a skid, Sakuya free from her sheath. "Messatsu Giri." He twirled the katana through his fingers before slamming her back into her sheath one last time.

Malus stayed motionless in mid air. He had not seen what his brother had done, all he knew was that he, a being who had aspirations of reaching godhood, of being the savior of the new era, had met his end.

It was instantaneous. Lines of blue blood exploded from the witch's torso. Malus coughed up blood as lines of red flame ignited into the air in front of him. The lines crossed and intersected into a pattern that was a mirror image of the slashes across his top section. A single symbol that promised home for this falling god.

"**JIGOKU**"

And done. Long chapter with lots of action. But wait, there's more! The true final battle has just begun!

Please review.


	38. End Of Malice

**Alright everybody, I'm thinking just three more chapters before we bring down the curtain on season 1 of Soul Eater Fury. And, I'm sure you'll all be happy to know that I will be making a second movie to send us into Season 2. Two things first: I won't put up the trailer until the last chapter and I'm pretty sure Alduin or anything else from his series will not be making an appearance, in case you ask later. **

**Alright! And…action!**

**End of malice, start of terror. The wild beast's dilemma **

_Sniff! Sniff!_

The ragged beast in human form stalked warily through the body strewn streets of Death City, ever searching for its next feast. It had already gorged itself for hours from the flesh of hundreds of dead chimera and unlucky Shibusen meisters, and still it desired more.

Thus was the fate of the _Outiko, "_The yellow eyed cannibal", the Wendigo. To forever desire the meat of its former kin and to forever go unsated by that most heinous crime.

The beast licked the blood from its dirty finger nails as it dug through the corpse of one pitiful straggler. He had most likely been among civilians being led out of the city. For whatever reason he felt the need to break off from his group and the security of the Shibusen weapons and meisters. Unfortunately for him, stragglers would only meet with piercing yellow eyes that stalked them from the darkness and the bite of rusted metallic blades.

The man's death had not been pleasant.

Now reveling over another feast that would leave it as famished as the last, the Wendigo howled with… what was it? Triumph? The concept was confusing to the beast. Why would it revel over a feast?

Images flashed suddenly through its head. It… remembered a part of its life it possessed before. Its ridiculous quest for glory through combat. All the boast it had foolishly proclaimed.

"_Greetings Devil Buster! We are the elite soldiers trained by the Great Mori-sama himself. The Bios!" He said, stamping his foot down in sumo fashion. "I am the mighty Sho Ryuusei!"_

It had comrades at one point too.

"_Come! Let us celebrate another great victory!" Sho proclaimed. _

"_That's alright! I-I don't feel like celebrating, also I need to take my meds!" Beltza continuously tried to pry himself from the boy's grasp._

"_We'll grab your meds on the way. You can't survive on 10 pills a day and no human interaction. If you want to kick this sick state of yours you need fun and root beer!" Akira declared. _

"_That was amazing Sho-Kun! You shattered ten bricks in one hit!" Hikari Mori congratulated him. Sho wiped the brick dust from his fist and flexed his tired muscles. He then jumped when a water bottle suddenly floated in front of his face. He grabbed the bottle and shot a thumbs up to Beltza, as thanks for the drink._

It…He had someone precious to him.

"_How dare you touch her!" Gabe jumped out of the way as the angered Sho rushed straight toward him. He held his injured comrade in his arms while he glared daggers at Gabriel. He looked ready to attack again when suddenly a pool of inky blackness appeared under him._

The Wendigo grasped its head in agony. The image of watching a girl tuck her medium length red hair into a leather cowboy hat and the warmth of her smile burning into his brain when she caught him watching.

"Grrraaauuurrr!"

"What pitiful screams you make beast."

The Wendigo wrenched its head around to meet the eyes of the intruder to its feasting grounds. It appeared to be an abnormally large human wrapped in the black and white robes of a priest with the exception of his robe being without sleeves. The sight of the priest's muscularly plump arms made the beast's mouth water.

Giving a snarl of challenge, the Wendigo pounced straight for the unmoving priest. The beast wrapped its arms and legs about its prey's arms and chest and bit down into the thick meat of Duncan's shoulder.

The wendigo became intoxicated by the taste of warm blood pouring into its mouth, it prepared to dig its teeth into its next victim, however…

"Though it is not written, you stand accused of violating a most heinous sin. And for that you will know purgatory, fiend!"

The Wendigo whined in pain as it felt the priest's wave length being blasted into its body. It released its hold on his shoulders and arms and leaped away, landing lightly on all fours.

The priest cracked his shoulder, sending another spurt of blood to pour from the holes in his shoulder. He brought his fists up as white energy laced spikes shot up from his knuckles. "Come, gluttony. Allow me to send you back to god's busom."

The wendigo snarled, summoning its rusted red chain saws to its wrist.

The two leaped to one another, but the wendigo was the faster as it smashed its feet into the priest's guard with a wild drop kick. The beast growled as it flipped up and brought its twin chain blades down in twin vertical slashes. Duncan had only enough time change up his guard, and catch the two blades on one arm and bring the other back. "Perish!"  
>The punch smashed into the wendigo's torso, causing it to hack in pain as the oxygen left it lungs. But Duncan wasn't through with it yet as he encircled its waist with his powerful trunk like arms and squeezed with all his might. "Final Affections!"<p>

The wendigo struggled and snarled with all its might, but this doomed it further as it was unable to recover any of the oxygen it had already lost. Its claws dug into its captor's in its final moments of retaliation, but slowly, it was beginning to black out.

"Let go of him!"

_Bang!_

"AIR!" That was the first thought that entered the wendigo's mind as it felt its captor's arms suddenly release him. Relief and confusion came in at once as the creature pondered over its luck. It turned to where the voice had come from.

"Sho, are you alright?" Wrapped in leather attire made up of jeans, a poncho, a long sleeved vest and a hat, the wendigo's savior held out her hand in assistance.

The wendigo took it and immediately wrenched her towards him and pulling her into his arms.

"Sho?!" She gasped in surprise; it could feel warmth flood her cheeks. It breathed in her scent and became immediately intoxicated. The warmth, the smell. Of blood and flesh.

_Crunch!_

"Aaaaaauuuuuhhhhhh!"

She pushed against him as his teeth bit deeper into the soft skin of her shoulder. The sound of her voice brought a vague memory back but the creature shoved it aside. The taste was simply too all consuming. The beast pushed her down onto the cold concrete. The wendigo bit harder and harder, but now it heard no screams, but it felt something cold and wet slide down its prey's cheeks to his own and something had begun to tickle his face.

The wendigo opened one eye, finding itself blinded by red. It pulled away and for a split second its heart stopped.

"Sho."

The tears continued to flow from her eyes as the blood flowed from the wound on her shoulder and mixed and matted into bright red hair.

"Jo-Joa-JOANNA!" Sho back pedaled as fast and as far as he could until his bare back hit the cold brick of a nearby wall. Joe pulled herself up, gripping the bloody portion of her arm to stem the blood flow. The two just stared at each other in silence for what felt like hours.

Sho soon became aware of the spittle of blood covering the lower portion of his mouth. He immediately wiped it away with the back of his hand and soon realized that his hands were covered in blood, not just Joanna's but of many people. People he'd slaughtered, and devoured.

"Oh god!" He gripped his head in shame, smearing the foreign blood across his cheeks.

"Sho-!" Joe attempted to reach out a comforting hand to him, but he backed away, completely out of her reach.

"Stay away Joanna, you all need to stay away!" He sped off down the alley, he had no sense of where he was going, probably not even where he was; he just had to get as far away from his friends as possible. It wasn't long before he was leaping off on all fours reaching a speed Joe had no hope to catch up with, even without an injury.

"Sho! Come back!" Joe used her one good arm to pull herself back to her feet and attempted to give chase for her disturbed comrade unfortunately the lack of blood had left her woozy, forcing her to hug the wall to stay lateral.

"Going so soon?"

Joe stopped in her tracks, a bead of sweat running down her brow.

She was sure she had knocked him out. A non-lethal shot to the side of the temple would knock even the Devil Buster out. It was clear that Joe had definetly not missed, since a very painful looking bruise could still be seen on Duncan's brow.

"Do you wish to share the beast's fate? You should've allowed me to finish my duty. It would have saved him from suffering and me the time to have to hunt him down." Crackling white energy filled his fist as he pulled back. "Beauty and the beast. I'll bury you both together!"

The blast of shimmering white energy exploded from the priest's fist racing straight for Joe. She was too weak to run, and dodging to the side would just leave her open for another blast. She had no escape options.

"Avenger Fury!"

Suddenly, the blast bisected, both halves flying off harmlessly into the side walls away from Joe and her Black Clad savior.

Duncan gritted his teeth in frustration for having been thwarted.

Kei turned to the shocked Joe and looked back down the street where Sho had run off to. "Go after him if you want but this one's mine." The serious tone of the masked man told Joe it was best to do so.

"Thank you." She said and started after her friend at a steady trot.

"One sinner after another." Duncan grumbled as he prepared for another shot.

Kei chuckled. "Its funny how you talk of sinner's considering your own past."

"Do I know you?"

Kei turned his stern emerald gaze to the priest and placed his hand out in a chop formation. "Of course you know me. After all, I am you're shadow." Blue sparks of electricity flashed across his hand. "Sa, koi!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Did you finish him?" Wu asked as he, Daniel, Black Star, Gabe/Allison and Akira slowly crept toward the fallen form of the seemingly fatally wounded Malus. "For real this time?"

"I think he did." Akira stated.

"You'd think wrong." Gabe said pulling Sakuya back from her sheathe as the witch boy instantly sat up. At first, he seemed to look this way and that, as if he was disoriented and did not know where he was. He then turned to the gathering behind him and smiled.

"Brother!" He pulled himself back to his feet and walked toward his unnerved sibling with his one arm open wide. "How long has it been? Mother will be so happy to see you well!"

"He's lost it." Sora commented.

"Are there people with you? I'm having a hard time seeing you, but I can tell you're there!" Malus stumbled over debris and rubble alike, obstacles anyone would have noticed.

"His vision is going." Black Star observed lowering Kengoku. "He doesn't have long."

_Splurt!_

The group looked on in shock as streams of blue blood squirted from the Ringrose heir's torso. He immediately stopped as if noticing his wounds for the first time. He placed his hand to his chest and brought the blood stained fingers to his face. He squinted as if to get a better look.

"How did this happen? How was I wounded?" Malus then raised his head to look his brother in the eye. He chuckled and his eyes seemed to clear slightly. "Oh now I remember, you killed me didn't you Fury."

Gabriel said nothing as his brother continued his labored giggling.

"What now? Will you take my soul like any other witch?" Still Gabe remained silent. "Doesn't the thought appeal to you? Steal my soul and you will gain a power greater than a death weapon, greater than Death himself, instantly."

"I don't need it." Gabe finally uttered. "That power cannot protect anything. I am not like you." His friends nodded their approval, but Malus instantly broke down in a cackle.

"Oh the hypocrisy! Not like me? Oh contraire, you and I are more alike than they know." Gabriel stiffened instantly as a flash of fear entered his eyes. "Tell me, are they aware?"

"Shut up!" Gabe snarled.

"Do they know what's inside you, waiting to break out?"

_Gabriel what is he talking about?_

A bead of sweat ran down the Devil Buster's temple.

"They aren't, are they?! Well then…" Malus then raised his hand out beside him as sparks of grey electricity ran across his arm. "Take a look!" He plunged his angelic forearm directly into his chest.

The gathered meister's gasped. They couldn't have known why he was attempting to kill himself, Gabriel did.

"Stop!" Gabe dropped Sakuya and sprinted off, hoping to stop his brother before it was too late. "Don't do it Malus!"

"You may have killed me Fury, but my ambitions live on. Passed on to my true master!" He plunged deeper into his own chest and grinned in triumph, having found his prize. "No matter what…" Gabe was just a step too late as Malus wrenched his prize free, a gold striped gray soul. "I will never regret the life I have lived!"

_Boom!"_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What the hell is that?!" Soul cried as a miniature tornado suddenly appeared within the center of Death City.

"That's where Gabriel and the others are." Hisako commented. Both she and Maka then turned, stunned to find that their earlier vicous foe had sunk to her knees and streams of tears had begun falling down her cheeks.

"Oh Malus. What have you done?" Plaguea's voice had begun to break.

"What do you mean? Explain Plaguea?!" Maka demanded.

"Malus has surrendered his soul and given his body to the host of his great power. The Eternal Archfiend, Ymir."

"Ymir?" Hisako had never heard the name before. She turned to her senior but only got a shrug, Maka was confused as well.

"It is no surprise that you do not know of it." The witch had seemed to regain her composure and picked herself back up. She turned her back to the two women and whistled for a new chimera.

"And where do you think you're going?" Maka readied her scythe, halting the witch in her tracks.

"Our battle is over. Ymir will level this city and everyone in it."

"We'll deal with that after we deal with you." Maka spat, however, Hisako took her by the shoulder.

"Go."

"But-"

"Gabriel and the others will fare better if you get there as soon as possible. I'll handle this. So go." Hisako said with an assuring grin. Maka however still looked worriedly.

"Maka she's right, we need to go now!" Soul called up to her.

"You're sure you can take her."

"No sweat!" Natsumi assured her.

"Then I leave it to you. Let's go Soul!" Maka threw her scythe into the air, prompting its silvery wicked wings to sprout from the shaft. Maka hopped onto her weapon, broom stick style and flew off in the direction of the swirling super cell.

"Hmph. You're either very brave or very foolish." Plaguea commented bringing her spear to bare.

"No, I just have faith in my allies. As they have faith in me." Hisako raised her shield blade and charged ahead, ready to continue battle.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gabriel/Allison grounded her feet into the dirt as the biting winds reached huricane speeds. Spray of icy mist and shards of frozen crystal swirled and danced through the air, being lifted ever higher. And at the storms center, was the immobile Malus.

His limp corpse, still grasping his soul in his one remaining arm, was being lifted ever higher into the storms eye. The ice shards started to gather above him, melding together into a larger and larger icy crystal. The crystal now fully formed, golden lines began to run across its face. The lines twisted and intersected and finally flashed to life as a golden eye with a green iris.

"What the hell is that thing?" Wu gasped as the winds finally died down. Gabriel couldn't answer him; he was completely consumed with fright. No matter how much of an attitude he had given Surtr when they conversed within his subconscious, he knew to respect and fear the power of the arch-fiends. Especially, if one ever got out.

"Look at that! I…I think that thing is crying." Akira pointed out. It was true. Upon close inspection , one could see that streams of blue liquid had began to flow from the green and gold eye as it stared upon the lifeless body of its vessel. The crystal had begun to rumble and quiver in a frightful parody of sobs.

"It's distracted." Gabe observed. "This might be our only chance to take this thing down! You two with me?"

"Hah! You gotta ask?" Wu grinned, Sora threw a thumbs up from her reflection in the metal boot. Wu got down to a knee, sending his white soul flaring up and prompting Sora's wings to flash to life.

"I don't really understand what's happening, but it seems obvious that this fight isn't over yet." His handle grew from Akira's shoulder as a wheel grew from his leg. "Let's end this." Akira revved the engine, sending the wheel on his leg roaring to life.

"Then let's do this!" The three meisters leaped to the air as one.

"Hissatsu: Meteora!"

"Gyro Kick!"

"Lucifer Rising!"

The round-house, flying side and front kick finishers smashed into the side of the occupied crystal monolith at once. Sure enough, cracks began to race across the frozen glass. The three teens sensed victory at hand, until they noticed that the eye was now staring side ways, glaring directly at them.

"What the-!" Gabriel/Allison gasped as a thin, pale arm exploded from the ice at their feet and grasped them about the throat. The remaining ice suddenly shattered to bits, but instead of falling it hung in midair.

"Be gone, insects."

The ice instantaneously flew out in all directions clipping and slicing into Akira and Wu and sending flying back down to the ground. But, that was not all.

_Kkkkyyyyyaaaaa!_

Gabe heard Allison's scream as grey sparks suddenly exploded from his body. Gabe watched in horror as Allison suddenly fell away from him. He reached out for her but his hand could not reach.

"I've got her!" Sakuya slid into place beneath her falling partner and caught her, using her body to soften the fall. Gabriel would have sighed in relief, had his windpipe not been being crushed in the now fully formed Arch-fiends hand.

"We've never been properly introduced have we? Greetings vessel of Surtr, I am Ymir." The arch-fiends soft and delicate sounding voice matched the appearance it took. Where as Surtr had been a demon with feral, animalistic features, Ymir took the form of an angelic woman with flawless, pure white skin. Her hair was long and colored a silver blue. White wings seemed to grow from her head, in a strange resemblance to ears. She was skadly dressed with thin cloth wrapping about her waist and chest and long, wide sleeves covering her arms. And her eyes were twin pools of gold with iris's colored a poison green.

Gabe struggled in the woman's grasp but even his strength paled in comparison to the being's he now faced. With but her index finger, Ymir turned Gabe's head from side to side getting a good look at his face. He could offer no resistance; the thought that this being could easily snap his neck with but a twist of her index finger made him sick to his stomach.

"You seem to share your brother's handsome feature's, as unkempt as you keep them." Ymir observed. "But I fear that is the end of your similarities. Truly, my counterpart was given a poor lot when given a vessel. You possess none of Malus's might nor his drive."

Gabe attempted to grin. "Happy…to disappoint." The grip on his throat immediately increased causing him to gasp for air.

"Put. Him. Down!" Black Star was suddenly at the arch-fiend's side, Tsukiyoha about his wrist and filling his crackling yellow fist with its black energy. "Soul Threat!"

Ymir didn't even blink as the crackling palm strike sailed for her face. She didn't even turn her attention from Gabriel. Instantaneously, a sheet of ice formed in Black Star's war path, not only repelling his attack but absorbing the energy from it as well.

"How did-!" The shinobi's question was left unanswered as the sheet of ice began to crackle as yellow electricity blasted from its center, striking the Shibusen veteran in the chest. Black Star gasped in pain as what felt like his own wavelength was shout right back into him, albeit corrupted and amplified in order to hurt him.

"Black…Star." Gabe growled in anger. He removed his hands from the iron grip of the icy woman and summoned Leviathan to his demonic hand. His fist now encased in flames, Gabe repeatedly smashed his fist into Ymir's arm. His constant assault rewarded him with the satisfying sound of ice cracking and finally relief as Ymir's hand broke off from her wrist, freeing him of her grip.

Ymir watched on unconcerned, as Gabriel unfurled his wings, enabling him to safely glide back to the ground. He flung off the now immobile hand, shattering it against the ground like glass.

'She had plenty of opportunities to finish me off in that instant, why didn't she?' Gabe thought himself.

_That's her style. She likes to play with her targets, likes to make them suffer before she ends it._

Gabe immediately recognized the grating voice. 'Who asked you to comment?'

_Technically you did. Personally, I was never fond of her methods. I believed if you got to work to have fun instead of just getting it over with, well there's not much point in it. _The fiery Arch-fiend rambled.

'Swell.'

As the two conversed internally. Gabe watched as Ymir called a gust of icy wind to her severed arm. The ice seemed to fade into the broken limb, forming a new forearm and hand, exactly alike to the one she lost. Ymir then turned her attention to the still hovering, prone form of Malus. Her eyes seemed to soften sadly.

Slowly, she and the corpse descended to the ground, landing several yards opposite Gabriel. The corpse of her deceased vessel then floated directly to her arms as she sat. The sight of Ymir laying Malus's head upon her lap immediately silenced the Devil Buster and his tenet.

"I'm sure this is a surprise to you." She stated as she began to run a hand through the dead witch's hair. "You cannot comprehend the amount of love I had for this boy. I am truly grateful to Plaguea for making him my vessel. His ambition, his power, his cruelty. I felt as if he had been made especially for me." Her face immediately darkened. "And you took him from me."

"He has taken countless people from countless others. I won't say it's a fair trade, but I'm sure as hell not going to feel guilty about it." Gabriel argued back. Gabe grabbed the shoulder of his black blazer and flung his coat away, revealing his scarred, bare upper body. He then removed Thomas's fedora and placed it on the ground at his feet. "Now we finish this."

Ymir chuckled. "If I recall correctly; Malus promised you suffering, for you and your loved ones." Gabe stiffened at her retort. "In honor of my lost lover, I shall fulfill his wish."

"Like hell you will!" Red flames ignited along Gabe's right arm as he slammed his fist into the ground, sending a line of flame racing for the seated Ymir.

Ymir placed her vessel upon the ground and stood to face the incoming attack. Gripping her left forearm and pointing her hand up, she called multiple gust of frozen wind to her palm. The ice gathered into the shape of a multi-pointed crystal. Ymir pointed her new projectile toward the incoming fire and launched, sending it soaring at high speeds. "Diamond Dust!" (D: Get over it, Shiva fans)

The crystal met Ifrit Grenade head on, but instead of colliding, the flames sputtered and instantly extinguished themselves. Gabe blinked in shock and braced his arms to block the oncoming attack.

"No no no. That would be too easy."

The crystal suddenly redirected its course, now heading to the right and away from Gabriel. Unfortunately, it was now on a collision course with Gabriel's gathered friends.

"No!" Gabe attempted to run after the escaping crystal. Hoping to deflect it, repel it, take the blow, anything beyond what he could not bare to see. And what envitably did happen.

The affect was instantaneous. The crystal exploded in a whirl of white mist and frozen shards. Gabe heard no screams. And he saw no movement. But this only added weight to his heavy heart. As the mist faded, Gabe could make out the prone forms of his comrades lying unconscious in the snow and ice. All of them, even the sturdy Wu Tian, lay bloodied, scratched and covered in a light layer of frost. The last thing Gabriel saw, before a red light seemed to explode in his skull, was the sight of Sakuya covering an equally wounded Allison, both of them appeared completely lifeless.

"As promised, you shall watch the suffering of your friends before you die." Ymir stated with a pleased pitch to her voice.

Gabe turned on the chuckling woman with a piercing glare in his eyes and a snarl on his face.

"DAMN YOU!" His wings unfurled and his arm ablaze, Gabriel charged the calm Arch-fiend with his fist pulled back. His hand had come within inches of the sneering woman's face, until…

_Slice!_

"Gaah!" Gabriel fell painfully at the cruel woman's feet. His left wing falling some feet away from him; having been severed from him, the fiery membrane sputtered out and the wing dissolved into ash.

"H-how…?" Gabe grunted through the pain. "How do you have Fenrir?"

Sure enough, the Arch-fiend wielded the crystal great sword that Malus always favored. Ymir, grinned and pointed the blade back toward Malus's body. Gabe's eye's widened in shock. Malus's body was fading! His lower body had already disappeared , having become snow and forged the Fenrir that Ymir now wielded. Soon Malus's upper body had become to fade as well, the ice it created beginning to swirl around the end of Ymir's great sword.

"Even in death, he serves my needs." Soon a horned guard and long triangular blade grew from the Fenrir's pommel, reforging Malus's glaive. Ymir marveled at the weapon her dead vessel created for her and rested her head against the colossal blade, a serene smile crossing her face. "I believe I shall call it Malus; in honor of my dead lover."

"Don't get to close to that toy. I'll just break it again." Gabriel growled attempting to rise to his knees. But an impact across his back immediately floored him once again, Ymir's foot planted firmly into the center of his spine.

"A devil, if that is what you call yourself, should not speak so highly. He should remain beneath god's feet…" She raised the Hrunting end of the Malus glaive over Gabe, poised to stab. "And stripped of his wings!"

_Stab!_

"Grrraaaaahhhhh! Hurk!" The blade plunged deep into his shoulder blade, directly beneath his remaining wing. Blood filled Gabriel's throat as the Arch-fiend took hold of his wing and pulled. Gabriel cried out in pain as he struggled to remove the slender woman from his back. And still the sound of tearing flesh could be heard as the bat like wing was ripped away, sinew by sinew.

_Rip!_

Now Gabriel did not cry out in pain. The pain was too great and so much blood was filling his lungs that he had to cough and wheeze for breath. Ymir tossed the lifeless wing aside as it joined its twin and became ash on the wind. Blood oozed from the scar across Gabriel shoulder blade. Ymir, sneered and flung the blood from her blade.

"Still not enough you must suffer more." Ymir grabbed a handful of Gabriel's hair, lifting him from the ground and off of his feet as the Arch-fiend ascended, uninfluenced into the air.

As the cruel woman flew away with Gabriel in tow, a single form attempted to pick her self up from the snow. The brown haired girl panted in pain, but still tried to rise to her feet, her hand futilely reaching out toward the retreating duo.

"Gabriel." Allison muttered as fatigue overtook her determination and she inevitably began to fall. Suddenly, strong hands caught her falling form. As her mind fell into blackness she could only make out a head of spiky hair and parting words of assurance.

"Don't worry, this big star isn't about to let that prehistoric bitch win."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Open your eyes, failed vessel of Surtr."

Normally, Gabriel would have ignored it when most people tried to tell him what to do, but right now he was in too much pain, he had no strength to disobey.

Squinting his eyes, Gabe could vaguely make out rows of buildings. Opening his eyes wider he could see a vast desert and he could hear a raging battle still going on at the foot of the city.

"Quite a view." Ymir commented. Her face was just inches beside his own. He would have smashed his fist directly into her arrogant grin had he not been able to move his arms, legs or any part of his body besides his head.

The Arch-fiend had taken care in restraining him in a way that would give him the perfect view of the city. His entire lower body had been covered in ice and was interconnected to the concrete ground. His arms had been spread out akimbo and frozen in a cruel parody of a crucifixion.

"From here you will watch and listen as your precious sanctuary is destroyed brick by brick. Right here, at the door of your precious academy."

It was true. Gabe could barely crane his neck and see the first flight of descending stairs. There was another truth he had come to realize, he had been beaten. His friends and loved ones would be slaughtered and he would be helpless to save them.

'Just like Malus promised.'

_There is a way out of this you know._

Surtr again.

_Just give in. You were so close that one time back in Hokkaido. Let the greater part of your psyche take control and she will be stopped._

'At what cost? No, if anything I want to stay me when I die. I want to stay Gabriel, the boy raised by Shibusen.'

_Shibusen is dead kid. There's no hope to stop her now._

'There's always hope, especially when it comes to these idiots.'

_Why do you say that?_

'Because idiots are invincible.'

_Bam!_

Ymir tumbled back as the wave length slug slammed into her chest. Gabe could only raise his head as the black and white stripped head came into view from the stairway.

"Sorry were late." Liz called.

"Hahahaha. She fell down!" Patty cackled.

"You have some explaining to do later…" KID said accusingly to the immobile Devil Buster. He then looked awkwardly away and said. "But for what it's worth; good work Gabriel. I'll handle the rest."

Gabriel would have cried if he could. "Tha-thank you boss."

"Hey! I'm here too!" Black Star suddenly came tearing up the stairwell. He didn't watch where he was going and immediately smashed right into a surprised KID.

"What the hell are you doing!" KID demanded angrily

"Oi oi! You're not going to steal all the glory. I was apart of this fight long before you were!"

"We're actually really sorry about that." Tsubaki sweat dropped.

"You two get along as well as ever I see."

Both men looked up as Maka landed lightly between them, smacking them both with a double Maka Chop.

_This is a rescue?_

'Umm.'

"Ingrates!" A blast of cold wind suddenly got all three adults attention as Ymir had pulled herself back to her feet and glared murderously at the veterans.

"Hmph. Looks like trouble's comin'." Soul commented nervously.

"Ah, married life rob you of your spine Soul?" Black Star asked with a grin, spinning Tsubaki in black Kunai mode on his finger.

"Please!" Soul waved the comment away. "Do you know who I'm married t-." He instinctively closed his mouth when he sensed Maka's death glare.

"Still, it's nice to have you guy's back." KID grinned, crossing Liz and Patty across his chest.

"The trinity's back together. So let's enjoy ourselves." Maka said with a smile as she twirled Soul around her neck until she brought him down resting on her shoulder.

Ymir snarled as she expectantly swiped her blade through the air. She had just passed Gabriel when she heard soft chuckling.

"Laughing at your own funeral boy?"

Gabe's chuckles turned into full laughter as he lifted his head and looked at the startled Arch-fiend with a big grin on his face. "No. I'm laughing at yours."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Done! It's been a week coming but I've finally commenced the final battle. That's right next update will be the conclusion to the Malus saga and an epilogue following. **

**I won't reveal too much about what's going to happen but I will give a hint in the form of a question.**

**Who else liked episode 12 of one of Capcom's latest and greatest projects?**

**I do not own Soul Eater or its original characters.**

**The attack Diamond Dust is owned by Square Enix and the makers of final fantasy.**

**Please review.**


	39. Pave the way for victory

**Okay, so I was wrong. Two chapters to finish up the final battle then the finale. The true final chapter just got too long so I'll give you guys this now and then the climax. So, sorry.**

**Pave the way for victory. The Iron dragon's last hope.**

"Hah hah hah…" The newly reawakened Sho Ryuusei leaned back against the city wall, finally succumbing to his exhaustion. He had ran half the length of Death City in hopes to further separate himself from his most likely worried friend. Even now, her blood remained on his hands and smeared across his face. The memory of such a tragedy forced the Bios to the ground as he hugged his knees.

He had hurt one of his friends, his most precious partner.

And the horrible truth was: She had not been the first.

His stomach wrenched as he remembered those horrible weeks he had spent at Malus's mercy. The cruel witch did not torture him as he heard him do to so many more of his unlucky comrades. No, the witch simply locked him away, and forgot about him. Weeks Sho spent with no light, no water and no food.

He had spent those first couple of days beating his prison walls with his blades. Hours he spent hearing only the incessant whirr of his chain blades and the growl of his own stomach. In the end, his prolonged activity only resulted in starving him further.

After what could have been years to the then disoriented Bios, hunger had gave way to madness. He lost any care what he ate next; he would kill the first thing that came from the door if someone ever did. His crafty captor, seemed aware of this.

Instantly, they came pouring into the windowless cell. Many of them sported wounds from their own tortures at the hands of Malus. And like any good soldier would, they came close to aid their wounded comrade.

"Grrrraaaaahhhhh!" An involuntary howl streamed from Sho as the images flashed through his head. The resistance of flesh as his blades ripped through his dear friend's bodies. The sensation of ecstasy as warm blood and torn flesh was shoveled down his throat. The blood caking his chain blades and causing them to rust a distorted red. And Malus, the Witch watched everything from the doorway, a nightmarishly pleased smile across his face.

"Malus." Sho then remembered another sensation. He had ignored it during his mad dash from Joe, but he knew it for what it was. His tormentor was dead.

It changed nothing though. The damage had been done. Already the gnawing hunger lingered and no form of treatment, consoling, nothing would cure him of the Wendigo.

And now he felt a new sensation. An evil wind had suddenly blown through the city streets. An evil that completely dwarfed Malus's own. The evil wavelength seemed to be coming from the Academy at Death City's center. And Sho also knew, in the middle of that whirlwind was the only person who could've defeated Malus. And, hopefully, could defeat this new threat.

"I have to get to the Devil Buster."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ymir clicked her tongue, unimpressed by the trio that now stood in her way.

"So, this is the best that humanity has to offer?" The wing-like appendages on her head rose upward as silvery, frozen wind began to swirl around the arch-fiend. Slowly, Ymir was lifted from the ground, her glaive, Malus, pointed directly at the trio in challenge. "Come then champions of mankind. Try your might against my own."

Black Star's wave length crackled across his arm, a sure sign that he was impatient. "You're mine!" Utilizing Zetsuei's speed ability, the shinobi dashed straight toward the floating Ymir. His wavelength empowered fist came within striking range, just as a new panel of ice appeared to bare his way.

"Some of us don't learn well." Ymir said coyly as Black Star's wavelength was once again absorbed into the ice and immediately shot back out. However, instead of blasting the silver haired meister back like before, her target grinned as the wavelength blast shot straight through him. The arch-fiend looked confused until her target began to turn jet black and dispersed like a cloud of ash.

"I learn just fine!" Instantly, multiple Shadow-star after images had surrounded the surprised arch-fiend. Ymir quickly regained her composure as she quickly came to understand the nature of the illusion.

"A fine trick, but a simple one to see through." Ymir raised Malus as the Fenrir end grew out to the stature of the Feral Impact. Ymir chuckled as her colossal great sword sliced through clone after clone. "The real one is…"

"Right here!" Ymir waved her hand back, sending a gale of biting wind at the sound of her loud foe's voice. Still another clone?

"Soul Threat!" Black Star immediately appeared above the confused Ymir, readying to slam his wavelength home.

"Fool."

"What the…?!" Black Star stared dumbstruck as another panel appeared to repel him. He was sure she hadn't seen him coming that time.

"Confused?" Ymir sneered as Black Star dashed away before he was blasted by his own wavelength again. "My shields act on their own will and they will protect me indefinitely."

"Is that right?" Ymir glared annoyed as KID's soul slugs impacted against her shield. The reaper then summoned his magic skate board (D: facepalm), Beelzebub, and began to circle the arch-fiend, his gun's blazing non stop.

"Trying to test my defenses?" Ymir commented as new panels appeared to block the rapid gun fire. Still KID kept up the assault, despite the woman's lack of concern. "I grow tired of your pointless attacks." Ymir raised her hand skyward once more as the wind and ice created a new ice crystal.

"That attack…" Black Star stated remembering how he and Tsubaki had barely avoided it the first time.

"Diamond Dust!" The arch-fiend loosed her frozen missile, sending it directly for the flying KID.

"Run KID!" Liz called as the projectile began following directly behind the retreating KID.

'This isn't good.' The shinigami thought as he began to twist and turn in an attempt to loose the steadily gaining crystal. But still the projectile persistently followed.

"KID! Bring it over this way!"

KID looked on to see Maka had readied her Witch Hunter technique and he had a pretty good grasp of what she planned to do.

"Make sure it's symmetrical!" He called as he dismissed Beelzebub and slid to a stop behind his waiting comrade.

"No problem." The Diamond Dust bomb was beginning to close in. "We'll get it right up the middle."

"Witch Hunter!" Maka slashed upward with her crescent moon shaped scythe blade, bisecting the crystal into two perfect halves. The twin pieces fell to either side of the Scythe meister and exploded, showering the ground on her left and right in hail and frozen debris.

"Excellent." KID commented as the trio regrouped. They could tell by the sour look on her face, that the Arch-fiend was not pleased to have her favorite attack defeated so.

"I hate to admit it but we might be a little out matched as we are." Tsubaki commented.

"I think it's time for Soul to break out the "you-know-what"." Liz said with a grin.

"Yeah whip it out!" Patty added with a cackle. (D: I regret nothing, I think she'd say that.)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(The Black Room)

"Hmph. Guess I got no choice." As Soul stepped into the dimly lit room he was immediately robed in a snazzy black and red stripped tux. He made his way over to the old black piano that acted as the center point of the room. The instrument had become covered in dust after so many years of disuse and he could practically feel its quivering of anticipation as he sat down in front of it.

"You guy's ready for this?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXX

"Yes." Maka answered as her grip tightened in anticipation.

"It's been awhile." KID added with a grin.

"Let's hope you're crappy playing's improved." Black Star chuckled as he readied Tsubaki for resonance.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hmph." Soul removed the key's cover as he felt his friends beginning resonance.

"Alright, let's begin!" His hands crashed against the key's sending out a triumphant low note. Blacks sparks of electricity flew from his finger tips as his hands danced across the keyboard. And all the while the old, but familiar feeling came running back to him. The black blood in his body was moving once again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"That's…" Gabriel, still trapped in Ymir's icy prison watched in awe as black bolts of lightning began to explode from his three seniors bodies. Allison had told him of when she and the others had performed Resonance Link, but this was on a whole other level. And a very distinct feeling had begun to bombard him; they were giving off large amounts of madness.

Tsubaki immediately changed into her Masamune form as Black Star's body was covered in her shadowy veil. He then stepped out from the shadows now clad in an inky black sleeveless shirt, his arms and feet were bound in white bandages and a scarf made up completely of shadows rose, independently beside him. He glared murderously up at Ymir, both his pupils now shaped like stars.

KID's change was much more subtle, but no less drastic. His usual black tux now sported a white ascot and a flowing, ragged looking cloak. The lines of sanzu that ran around his hair glowed to life prompting Liz and Patty to change into their twin arm cannon forms. His face broke out in an expectant grin, the ends of his mouth ending in a stitch like pattern.

Black ink gathered in Maka's hand and began running up her arm. The black ink ran down the length of her form down past her feet. The wind blew Maka's hair upward as the black blood rose up with it, wrapping itself through her hair. The black blood subsided as Maka's armor was completed. She now wore a gothic style black dress with black arm gloves and black ribbons wrapped in her hair in the style of pig-tails. Maka twirled Soul end over end and then pointed him in challenge toward the startled Ymir.

"We'll be taking your soul now."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Akira? Akira!" Akira Toya groaned in pain as the familiar voice's owner began to literally shake him awake.

"Joe?" Akira asked, slowly opening one of his eyes.

"He's wakening up. Wolfe, we need you over here!"

"I'll be there as soon as I can, we still have wounded."

"Beltza?" The Bios's vision had begun too clear, revealing the relieved faces of his two comrades.

"Okay, give me some room." Xeal ordered as he crouched next to the severely wounded teen. He began his incantation, prompting golden light to filter from his finger tips. Akira felt numbing relief as his many cuts and bruised limbs were healed by the half-witch's magic.

"How are the others?"

"Most of them are awake and in better condition than how we found you all." The witch explained. He then went on to explain how after he and Beltza had recovered from their battle, he, Beltza, along with his weapon partner Phoenix and the two girls, Mint and Lavender, had set off in order to rejoin Akira and the others. They had met Joe along the way, and Xeal had even healed her very brutal looking wound, which she refused to explain how she got it.

"Have you been able to find Sho?" Akira noticed how she seemed to stiffen to the question.

"Yes. But he ran off." She muttered. Akira didn't push further. He knew Joe rarely allaborated, also, he had a mild suspicion that it was connected to her wound. He attempted to rise but Xeal's forceful hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"I suggest you stay still, you've all been badly injured."

"I'm fine." Akira assured. He had become much sturdier since he had become a weapon and he was confident he would shake off even this pain with time. "I'm more concerned with your comrades. What of those three girls who were partnered with that red haired meister?"

Xeal's face took on a melancholy mood. "I did the best I could with Hana and Rosa, but due to all their internal injuries any more interference of mine could be more dangerous than helpful."

Akira's gaze settled over to the sight of Leon, conscious once again and standing guard over the still silent forms of his partners. "And … the other one…?"

Xeal's head slumped and his hands clenched in to fist. "If only I had been here sooner… I might've been able to avert this, somehow…"

Akira put a reassuring hand on his former enemies shoulder. "No, we are to blame. We helped build the army that made this invasion possible. And despite that you saved one of my friends. I am in your debt."

Xeal waved the thanks away and rose back to his feet, though Akira could tell there was much more strength in his demeanor now. "Is there anyone left?" He called.

Xeal surveyed the gathering of his friends. Sora, being a weapon, had sustained the least amount of damage and had been one of the first to awaken. She held her still unconscious meister's head upon her lap, signaling to Xeal with a nod that they were alright. Marie and Robyn were awake and were tending to the grumbling Angela, who complained non-stop that her mentor Black Star had left without her. Lavender and Sakuya were looking after the still sleeping Allison. And Phoenix and Mint had separated from the group, in search of their remaining team mate.

"Agh! Where is he?" Phoenix grumbled.

"You don't suppose Gabriel is still fighting with that ice woman, do you?" Mint inquired.

"Bah! It's just like that idiot! He'd probably be half dead and still fine some way to keep fighting."

"Hey!" Lavender called to the others. "Allison's waking up!"

"Allison-chan! Allison-chan!" Slowly, the sword meister opened up her pained eyes. She surveyed the gathered, relief filled faces of her friends. And before anyone could stop her, she attempted to rise back to her feet.

"Easy, girl! You still need time to recover." Mint warned, but Allison shook away her friends hands and continued her distressed path to what the group could have sworn looked like the Academy.

"Gabriel. I have to…help…" Sakuya was the first to catch her as she stumbled forward.

"Calm down! Tell us what happened."

"Gabriel needs help. That woman flew off with him and she was headed for the academy."

"Why would she take him there?"Lavender inquired.

"Marie, can you tell what's happening at the Academy?" Robyn asked. The blind girl looked toward where she felt the academy was. Her eyes widened as she got a grasp of the battle waging just at the academy's door step. Robyn caught her as she collapsed from shock.

She panted as she explained. "Lord Death, along with Black Star and Mrs. Maka are fighting that woman. The power they're letting off is too much for my perception to grasp."

"And Gabriel?" Daniel asked.

"He's there too. He's alive but not moving, he could be trapped."

"Agh!" Robyn complained loudly as he face palmed himself. "And of course we have to go rescue that idiot, once again."

"We want to help, please." Akira offered, his comrades nodding agreement.

"No, you're still in no condition to move around so much. The same goes for Leon, Angela and Rogers. None of you should go." Xeal ordered.

"I'm going no matter what." Allison argued, pulling away from Sakuya to show that she could stand on her own. Xeal rubbed his temples in frustration, not wishing to argue with the determined girl.

"Alright!" He finally surrendered. "We'll send a group of the still able bodied to retrieve the Devil Buster. But I stand by that Leon, Toya, Angela and those still unconscious remain here so that I can continue any necessary treatment."

The group nodded in agreement and those given the okay by Xeal sprinted off toward the academy.

"You're not going?" Daniel inquired as Xeal stared off after them.

"Hah. I want to go, but the best I have to offer is out of my reach at the moment. I have no choice but to wait here and hope for the best.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

'This is impossible!' Ymir thought in outrage as she had to dodge another close slash from Black Star. The shinobi's rate of attack had increased dramaticly after his transformation. He was moving so fast that he was actually out pacing the instantaneous creation of her shields. Ymir parried another katana slash from the ninja as he came reaching for her throat.

"Take this!" Ymir instinctively threw up another shield as Maka's descending slash came crashing down. The ward of ice held but cracks were beginning to form. Not only had their agility and speed increased but their power as well.

Maka gave a harsh battle call as she slammed her scythe again and again against the barrier. She then lifted Soul Eater high as her pure white soul flared up around her. Soul's scythe blade glowed bright silver as the end of his blade grew downward in the shape of a halberd.

"Djinni Hunter! Straight-Line Hunter!" The bright blue scythe blade shattered Ymir's barrier with a mighty downward slash. Ymir stared dumbstruck as the blade now came for her. "You lose!"

"I refuse to be defeated by the likes of you!" Ymir thrusted the Hrunting end of her glaive toward the attacking Maka. As it did against Leon, the blade shot forth, growing until it collided against Maka's blade. Maka struggled with the ice weapon as she was repelled back. Ymir grinned in glee until she heard a nearby humming.

"Resonance stable."

KID had hung back, as most long ranged fighter do. And had begun charging his ultimate attack. Black energy ran along the spikes on his shoulders and filtered into his cannons, creating the images of a twin skulls at their barrels.

"Noise: 0.03%"

"Full firing strength in 10..9..8."

"I will not allow it!" Ymir summoned an array of hovering icicles to her side. She pointed ahead sending the projectiles soaring toward the immobile KID.

"7…6…5."

Ymir sensed victory as the blades came within a yard of the vulnerable reaper. Suddenly, in a flash of black and white, her icicles were shattered. Black Star and Maka slid to a stop in front of KID their blades still ringing with the speed of their strikes.

"Face it you lose." Black Star sneered as he and Maka jumped away, just as KID finished charging.

"Okay to shoot now!"

KID's gold eyes locked on the startled Ymir and he raised his twin rail guns to fire. "Death Cannon."

Twin blast of dark energy exploded from the cannons barrels heading right for the arch-fiend. In a last ditch effort to save herself, Ymir threw up a row of ice panels, hoping this extra line of defense would repel the oncoming blast. To her dismay, the blast immediately smashed through her first shield without effort. It was the same for the one after that and the next. The twin blast had lost no momentum from her shields and all Ymir could do was stare in horror as the blast consumed her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Whoa." Gabriel was left completely dumbstruck by the display. He had absolutely no hope against this foe, but it was clear he and the group that killed Kishin Ashura were of completely different levels.

The smoke was thick where KID's blast had hit the dreaded Ymir, and though it was small, he had hoped that was the end of it.

_Don't hold your breathe kid. _Surtr again. _Only I've ever pushed her so far and when she gets pushed into a corner,it's when she gets ugly, literally._

As the demon assured, the smoke began to clear. Ymir still stood; the wide sleeves of her arms had been singed since they had been covering her face. Malus's glaive had begun to crack but still the dreaded weapon radiated with evil power. Slowly she lowered her arms revealing a mask of such feral hatred that it slightly unnerved the veteran trio.

Her once beautiful face had become twisted in a savage smile and had become almost wolf-like. Her yellow-green eyes had become slitted and hateful. Her chin had taken on a primitive jutt with long canines slipping from her upper and lower lips.

"Wretched insects! You shitty pieces of human filth!" The wind responded to her rage as the icy gale bit and covered the area with a small layer of frost.

"Seems we have more work to do." Soul commented, preparing to start anew.

"I won't allow any of you to leave this place! I'll rip you all apart one by one!" The now hideous arch-fiend stabbed her glaive into the concrete with great force. Frozen stalagmites rose at random across the battle field as a mighty gust blew frozen debris through the night sky.

"Hmph! Doesn't matter how ugly you get. You can't hope to beat a big star like me!" Black Star moved to charge their foe, but he soon found that he could not move his feet.

"Guy's your feet!" Liz called out in alarm. The group looked down and their eye's widened in shock to find that ice had covered their legs up to their shins.

Ymir grinned in triumph and with a wave of her hand she summoned thousands of floating ice blades, however, they were not aimed at the immobile trio. Their target was directly behind them.

"As much as I would love to have you suffer as I promised, you have been a thorn in my side for far too long. Die, Fury Ringrose!" At once the blades soared over the struggling adults. They called out Gabriel's name as they attempted to break the ice imprisoning them, but it was to no avail.

"C'mon, break dammit!" Gabe growled in frustration as the shower of frozen blades sailed toward him, but he had suffered too great of a beating to use his full strength and his prison was just too strong. Gabriel closed his eyes for the inevitable feeling of blades ripping through his body until he heard a familiar whirring sound.

"Grrrrraaaahhhhh!" Coming out of nowhere, Sho Ryuusei leaped between the Devil Buster and the oncoming ice spears, his blades hacking away with abandon. Shattered ice fell to the ground at his feet, but still, several escaped his blade net to embed themselves into his shoulders and torso, one even sliced across his temple. But still the mighty Bios stood tall until the last missile was destroyed.

Sho panted through the pain, his rescue watching in shock and confusion.

"Why are you-?"

"No time for questions." Sho cut him off and turned back to him, his blades whirring. "I have to try to and pick this ice away if we wish to have any hope in this battle." Gabe couldn't help but sweat for a second as the whirring chain saw came toward him. Sho was abrubtly interrupted from his work by the snarl of their enraged foe.

"Mangy pest! Get away from their!" Ymir smashed her glaive against the ground, sending a wave of ice stampeding toward them. Sho turned back, his blades glowing blood red.

"Testu Ryu Dan!" Sho slashed his blades out in an X-shaped pattern, blasting the wave with his own slash blast finisher. The blast collided, shrouding the area in smoke. Using the smoke as cover, Sho returned to Gabriel's side, his blades already scraping against the durable ice.

"Forget about me!" Gabriel demanded. "Get your friends out of this city while you have a chance!"

"It's because I want to save my friends that I'm doing this!" The Bios snarled back. He growled in frustration as he could not even crack the supernatural ice. "No matter what, I have to free you."

"Why are you doing this?" Gabe asked defeated.

"I've seen what you can do." Sho replied. "I've seen the kind of power you have. I know that you can defeat even this fiend."

Gabe shook his head in descent. "It's no use. If Maka and the others can't defeat her what chance do I have?"

_A very good one if you only left it to me._

'Shut up.' Gabe internally grumbled to the nosy Arch-fiend.

"No matter what happens to me, I will find some way to free you! You are the only one who can save the one I-!"

_Shing!_

Sho looked down wide eyed at the colossal blade of ice that had been run through his chest and he looked up to match Gabreil's startled look.

"Dog's who betray their owners deserve to be put down." Ymir chuckled as she raised her glaive skyward, lifting the impaled Sho up upon Fenrir's blade. The Bios spat blood as he fell even further down the crystalline great sword. "Let's hear you bark now!" Ymir chortled as she swung her blade out to the side, sending Sho rolling across the courtyard, a gaping wound in his chest.

"You bitch!" Gabe growled in anger as he struggled within his frozen straight jacket, the blue lines beginning to glow back to life across his arms. Ymir chuckled at his futile struggles but then her laughter turned to puzzlement as miniscule cracks had begun to appear in the ice.

'He shouldn't be able to break this ice.' Ymir pondered. 'I should kill him before he actually becomes a threat.' Ymir lifted Malus above Gabriel's neck, preparing to take the head from his shoulders.

"I won't let you!" Ymir raised her glaive in defense as wave length slugs smashed into her and soon she was sailing backwards, utilizing her levitation to aid her escape. KID, now freed, continued to pepper the retreating Arch-fiend with bullets. "Hurry up you two, before she gets away!" He called over his shoulder to his two allies. Black Star, having already freed himself and KID, through the use of his soul threat ability, was now working at breaking the ice keeping Maka in place.

"There!" The ice shattered and Maka and Black Star dashed to regroup with KID.

"Gabriel, are you alright?" Maka called over to the still trapped Devil Buster.

"Forget me! Help him!"

Maka ran over to the fallen boy's side, grimacing as she looked at the wound in his chest. She put a finger to his neck and sighed in relief. "He's still alive, but he's fading fast!"

"We can't wait here." KID said his eyes following the retreating Ymir. "She's heading for the front line, if we wait here she'll start attacking the students still fighting there."

Maka looked conflicted. She knew KID was right but she also knew that a boy was dying here at her feet and she didn't want to leave him to die. She looked to Gabriel for an answer. The teen grimaced in sorrow but he knew the consequences of failure all to well if all of them weren't present for this battle.

"Just hurry!"

Maka nodded and tossed Soul into the air, prompting the silver bladed wings of her grigori soul to sprout forth. "Black Star, get on." The Shinobi complied without argument, hopping on behind her as KID took off on Beelzebub.

'Hurry.' Gabe thought as the three veterans flew off.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"That's…" Plaguea lowered her spear in awe as the angelic being flew past over head of the battle between the two women.

"What the heck is that Hisako-chan?" Natsumi asked her equally confused partner. Hisako merely shrugged.

"This does not bode well." Plageua observed as Maka, carrying Black Star, and KID flew past in hot pursuit.

"Sorry that your plans have come crashing down." Hisako lied as she raised Natsumi to continue fighting. "You'll have all the time to think over where your plan failed while you're in hell with your son."

"Do you it find it funny to mock my loss." Plaguea snarled slightly unnerving Hisako. "Do you have any idea the kind of pain this puts me through, as a mother?"

"I…"

"Malus is gone. Fury most likely has followed. I risked both my precious sons in a gamble that their destiny be fulfilled and now I have lost them both." Hisako watched startled as true tears fell down the witch's cheeks. "Can you understand my pain?!"

"No. No, and I hope I may never have to." Hisako answered, her hand moving to her abdomen.

Plaguea stared at Hisako quizzically. "You are with child." She observed.

"Yes. My child's father was killed by Malus."

Plaguea mulled over this news. Then to the meister's astonishment she turned her back to Hisako. "Let's call this fight a draw. I have no interest to kill an unborn child."

"Do you think we can just let you leave?"

Plaguea called another chimera for her to escape on. "I pray for your baby's happiness Fujiri Hisako, as well as your own."

"Who exactly are you?" Hisako asked, in all her life she had never heard of such a pecualiar witch.

Plaguea mounted the centipede/crow chimera and turned to Hisako with a melancholy smile on her face. "I am a woman who has buried her husband, her lover, and now her eldest son. I do not wish this fate on anyone else." And with that she took off, disappearing into the night sky.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"It's futile. No matter how strong you think you are, you are nothing against the shadow of fate."

"Silence!" Duncan snarled to his masked foe. As impossible as it seemed, their battle had been completely one-sided. Duncan sported several slash marks across his chest, arms and a scar across his eye. And still the hulking weapon persisted with an unnatural will power that border lined obbessive.

"I absolutely cannot die here. I will not fall, yet." His hand then went to the shinigami pendant around his neck. 'I never thought I would have to use this before the time came.'

Kei suddenly chuckled. "Ironically enough, you remind me of a dear friend of mine. He had a hard time giving up as well." The masked man's face then darkened as the sparks of electricity ran across his splayed fingers. "I must remove you before his memory is distorted.

Duncan had almost snapped the pendant from his neck as Kei came at him with a descending karate chop. The masked fighter suddenly froze, his attention suddenly stolen. He seemed to be listening for something.

"Sigh." Kei turned his back on the confused priest. "We will postpone your execution for now. But know this…" Kei turned back, his finger pointing accusingly at the panting priest. "You will face judgment for your crimes. I will not rest until the memory of that day is sketched into your coffin." The masked figure then disappeared in a flash of green flames leaving the exhausted Duncan alone in the alley.

The priest collapsed face first into the street, his strength spent. He lifted the pendant now free of his neck to his eyes.

"Only one being can make me face judgment for my crimes."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

'_Huh? Where am I? And what is this harsh pain I feel in my chest?_

…

'_Oh. That's right. I was stabbed.'_

"Ryuusei?! Oi, Ryuusei!"

With slow, pained efforts, the wounded Bios rolled himself over onto his back. He took in the gaping hole in his chest with a blank expression. He attempted to rise back onto his legs but was thwarted as shafts of pain ran through his body and blood oozed from his wound and filled his throat.

"Hey, try not to move!" Gabriel called to the Bios. Sho stared back at the trapped Devil. A look of inspiration suddenly flashed in his eyes as he once again rose back onto his haunches. "Stop! You're going to kill yourself like that!"

Sho ignored the Devil Buster's warnings as he succeeded in rising to his feet. The Bios then began to take small, stumbling steps to the distressed Gabriel. All the while, pools of his life's blood had formed in his wake as the hole in his torso widened with each difficult step.

"Consider your life for a damn second, you fool!" Gabriel begged. "If you have someone so important to you, then you have to live for them!"

"It's for her sake that I must do this." Sho fell to his knees at the foot of Gabriel's restraints. He raised his head to stare deep into Gabriel's concerned gaze. His face had taken on a somber quality. "I remember when you saved Akira. How you are able to feed off people's emotions like Malus can."

Realization finally hit Gabe and he shook his head desperately. "I can't! If I feed off of you, you won't survive. I promised Akira that I would save you."

"Look at me Gabriel!" Sho held his arms out wide, opening his wound further as he released his saw blades and bared his teeth, revealing fangs caked in filth and blood. "With these fangs and blades I slew many of my comrades. I have tasted my beloved and the beast within me still demands more!" He gripped his hands in sorrow as tears streamed down his cheeks. "I cannot change what I have become, but I can at least die as a man and take that beast with me!" Sho then raised his palms to Gabriel's chest.

"Yamero!"

"Accept it. All of my pain, my regret, and most of all, my rage!"

Suddenly, red streaks of energy began to flow from Sho's palms into Gabriel's body. Gabriel was not sure if he had unknowingly began feeding off of the dying Bios through his own will or if something else had wrested control of his powers and had decided to take what it needed from this willingly martyr. Gabriel only knew, that Sho Ryuusei, a man he had first met as a foe, a man he had come to respect as a soldier and the man he wanted to save from his brother's influence at all cost, was dying, all so he could live.

"Damnit! Damnit!" The ice began to crack along Gabriel's arms as the blue lines flared to life in response to his growing rage. "Damnit! No one else was suppose to die!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx 

Surtyr sat contently upon his thrown of magma as the pit of lava beneath him sloshed and rose in response to his vessel's fury. The arch-fiend grinned expectantly as he felt the dying Bios's rage intermingle with the Devil Buster's wave length.

"Well then…" Surtyr hopped from his thrown to the platform of bare ground where his host sat before. He looked upward into the blackness where a single gleam of light could be seen.

Swaying, lonely in the black pit, hung a shining chain of pure white steel. The arch-fiend could feel its purifying wave length struggle against the ever pressing rage that surrounded it. Surtyr raised his empty hand up as a shaft of flame ignited within in his open palm. The shaft grew out until it was atleast eight feet long. The flames died down revealing an interconnected steel pole of black and white metal with a half crescent scythe blade of red metal acting as its head piece. Surtyr pulled the scythe back, his eyes fixed on the lone chain. He then slashed forward, sending a blast of red and black energy soaring into the metal links and shattering them.

"Let Pandemonium begin."

**Sho: You're despicable.**

**D: Ain't I a stinker. **

**(again sorry for postponing, I'll finish the next part as soon as possible)**


	40. Heads will roll

_**Heads will roll. Hope with the dawn?**_

_Boom!_

"What the hell just happened?!" Robyn cried as the group of teens covered their eyes against the tremendous flash of red light that greeted them as they finally reached the foot of the academy stairwell. The pillar of light rose ever upward, parting the clouds in an explosion of wind and sound.

"I think I see someone." Sakuya called as the light began to dim. The Diablons and Bios rubbed their eyes to focus on the slowly descending figure who appeared atop the towering stairwell.

"It's Gabriel!" Allison called out in relief. Though shirtless and wounded the Devil Buster stood tall as he descended the stairs, both his demonic arms radiating with an angry red aura. "But what's that he's carrying?"

"That's-!" Beltza cried out in horror.

"SHO!" Joe practically leaped the first set of stairs as she rushed to meet the somber Gabriel. Joe met him halfway as the others struggled to catch up. Gabriel gently laid the motionless Sho Ryuusei on the ground at the frantic girl's feet and stepped away as she fell to her knees at his side, desperately calling out his name.

"Sho?! Sho! Open your eyes Sho!" Tears welled up in Joe's eyes as she wrapped her hands in Sho's own. Her eye's widened, his hands had already gone cold and there was absolutely no pulse. "No."

Beltza slid to stop next to her calling out his comrade's name just as she had. All the while the Diablons gathered around their silent comrade.

"Gabe what happened? What happened to him?" Robyn asked. The night darkened Gabe's face, hiding his eyes from their view.

"I… killed him." The group stepped back startled as he threw his head back and laughed. He gripped his sides as the chuckles over took his form. "The idiot actually thought I would be able to defeat Ymir!" White plumes of smoke began to rise up from his eyes. "He threw away his own life for such a meager hope. He put that much faith in the likes of me!" Gabe took in a sharp intake of breath as he stared somberly stared into the horizon. "And look at that…"

The group followed his gaze. Slowly, a new bead of light could be seen rising in the east. The light of dawn.

"The sun is red today, a perfect omen of the blood that's been spilt." The group quickly backed away as twin plumes of flame shot out from his back. The flames then twisted and grew out, becoming a pair of fiery membranous wings, a perfect copy of the pair he had just lost. "And for the blood about to be spilt."

His wings spread out, catching the wind and rapidly lifting their master heavenward. "This ends now!" Gabriel soared toward the front lines, becoming a red blur, all the while, his friend's calling his name to try to dissuade him and Joe's cries were the last thing he heard.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Eat this!" The army of meister's and weapons watched in awe of the aerial battle happening over their heads. They soon dispersed in fright as the frightful Ymir, having been struck by KID's all mighty axe-kick, came crashing to the ground within them.

Ymir snarled in outrage as she pulled herself from the dirt. She quickly lifted her glaive up in defense as Black Star rapidly descended toward her, his katana raised. The shibusen students and remaining Ringrose army were blasted back by the force of their impact. The two clashed their weapons together, neither willing to give an inch to the other. Ymir then pulled one hand away and grasped the startled shinobi's face. Icy mist had begun to swirl around her slender arm as she attempted Malus's Sub-zero bite technique.

Her attack was thwarted as the Tsubaki controlled scarf around Black Star's neck wrapped about her arm, ripping the limb free from her meister's face. Black Star then followed up by smashing his foot into the arch-fiend's chest, sending her tumbling back, right into Maka's waiting arms.

"Djinni Hunter!" Maka swung her scythe out horizontally, cutting into her foe's side as she just barely avoided it. Ymir gripped her side, snarling against the pain. She could not believe how she was being completely out matched. And if she continued to fight these meisters it would spell her doom. She needed to escape, to recover, and then she would have her revenge against these humans. Now she only needed a distraction. Her eye's fell on the nervously retreating students who had become the witnesses of their bout. They would do.

Ymir slammed her fist into the ground, sending a wave of ice racing for the retreating students. She smiled in glee as the veterans instinctively swooped down to rescue their students, pulling them out of the way of the dangerous ice.

"That is the flaw of you pathetic mortals." Ymir sneered as she summoned two crystals of ice to her hands. "You care too much about the lives of others to focus on the main issue!" Ymir loosed the twin ice bombs toward separate groups of students. Forced to split up, Black Star jumped in between one of the crystals, smashing his wavelength against it in hopes of repelling it. KID rapidly blasted bullets of his wavelength into the other. All the while, Maka stayed behind to guard the remaining group's escape.

Ymir cackled, sensing victory as she summoned one final Diamond dust bomb, this one was roughly 10x the size of the other ones and would probably have 10x the payload as well.

'Can I cut this one?' A bead of sweat ran down the scythe meister's brow as the frozen missile came speeding toward her. 'I have to try!" Maka pulled Soul back as the Djinni Hunter glowed to life once more, ready for battle.

"It won't be so easy this time." Ymir stated as she put her middle finger and thumb together. Maka gasped, realizing her danger. Too late!

_Snap!_

"Maka! Soul!" Black Star called out in shock as the colossal globe of white mist and ice surrounded his two friends. Ymir cackled triumphantly, she readied her self to ascend and escape the battle field, but then…

"Someone like you would never understand their drive." Ymir swirled around in shock, having recognized the voice that filtered from the slowly dissipating globe of white.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sis, look!" Susan followed her sister's gaze, her eyes falling on the Arch-fiend's dispersing explosion of ice. Red light filtered through the mist, revealing a membranous cocoon of red fire. The cocoon immediately broke open allowing its occupants to step out, completely unharmed. The wings that made up the fiery barrier retracted back into their owner's shoulders. Susan peered through the scope of her FAMAS to get a good look at the new combatant. "Isn't that…"

"It's the Devil Buster!"

The word spread across the ramparts to the escapees who had just gotten through the city's entrance.

"The Devil Buster's alive!"

"He saved Maka Albarn and Death Scythe Soul Eater."

"Does this mean he's on our side?"

"What do you think sis?" Selina asked her silent meister. Susan stared awestruck at the infamous weapon. Like many, she saw the similarity between the Buster and the witch, Malus, who started this battle. But she also knew next to nothing about the actual man, having known him only through reputation and witnessing his many duels.

"I don't know what to think. I guess we can only watch and see what happens."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A bead of sweat actually ran down the normally arrogant Arch-fiend's brow as the teen slowly stepped toward her. She could sense it. How greatly he had changed. Ymir could practically see a silhouette of her counterpart hanging over the boy; she understood that Surtyr's influence was beginning to take hold of his vessel.

What she did not understand is how. How was this imperfect, undriven child able to wield her rival's power so well? She had to destroy him before it was too late. Surtyr would soon have complete control and nothing would be able to stop him then.

"Die!" Ymir swung out with Malus, launching a hail storm of ice blades toward the teen. Undaunted, Gabriel lifted his newly unsealed left arm up toward the oncoming volley. Red sparks ran across his arm as a wall of flame erupted in the missiles path and instantaneously evaporated them. Ymir desperately swung out again and again, sending more volleys to be stopped by Gabriel's flames.

"I finally understand now." Gabe smashed his foot into the ground, sending out a shock wave of heat that melted Ymir's spears just as they formed. "Why I could not live there anymore."

Black Star and KID moved around the war path Gabriel had plotted out so they could regroup with Maka. The three veterans stared in awe at the aura of pure power that radiated off their student. 'Is this the same Gabriel?' They all thought at once. The boy who seemed to go out of his way to get under KID's skin but always worked hardest to redeem himself. The kid who never showed Black Star the respect he desired but always laughed when he randomly appeared from nowhere. And the shy acting boy Maka took from that orphanage ten years ago.

"I had though it was because I was afraid of Malus, but it was never that!" Gabriel declared as he shrugged off the blast of freezing wind Ymir hurled at him. "I was afraid of what I would become under his control." Longinus flared forth as Ymir immediately closed the distance between them, slamming her glaive down atop him. Gabe turned Longinus side ways, catching the much larger sword with a horizontal block. Gabe then summoned Leviathan as it appeared coiled around his left arm. "What you would have him turn me into!" Gabe's Leviathan empowered fist crashed into Ymir's lower jaw, sending the arch-fiend hurling end over end through the air until she regained her equilibrium and flipped over to land on her feet, back on the ground. "You would have me kill billions, for what?! You're so called paradise?" Gabe leaped forward, both his feet aflame.

"Is there a point to this monologue?" Ymir growled as she caught the burning drop kick on the end of her own round house. Gabe flipped back, landing in a crouch away from the arch-fiend.

"Even as a brat understood. And it was thanks to the people in this city, thanks to my teachers and my friends, that I was able to realize for myself." Gabe's right arm ignited in angry red flame. "Life is a privilege. And if your goal threatens the innocent lives of this world, I will burn down you and your so called paradise with this cursed fist!"

Black Star and KID grinned as Maka's eyes welled up with pride. It was still him. His unconcerned demeanor had vanished; his bored gaze had melted away. The boy the academy had taken in and raised was now a man who stood in defense of his home. He has shown that he was truly, Shibusen's son.

"Tch!" Ymir spat blue blood into the dirt as she lifted her hand up in front of her. "Your words hold no threat to me. If truly you think you can stand against me then come and try." Silver mist streamed from her palm as the multi pointed shape of snow flake appeared in her hand. She lifted the delicate flake into the air before as the mist filtered into it, instantly causing it to grow and expand in size. The once tiny particle of ice now stood seven feet tall, its creator sneering from behind it. "This is my strongest shield, guranteed to repel even the hottest of Surtyr's fires. If you cannot shatter it, your own wave length will be reflected back out at you at twenty times the power. Even if you can survive that kind of blast, I doubt your precious city will." Ymir's sneer was practically daring him to try.

_She's not lying. I've only been able to put a dent in it, but I could never break it._ Surtyr explained. _There's no getting around it either, it will follow you whatever direction you attack from. Besides, she's almost in full retreat, smart thing to do is let her leave and take this time to harness your powers better._

Gabriel grounded his feet into the dirt as his wings flew out once more. "Forget it! This fist…" He immediately shot forward, his burning right hand pulled back. "…Is going right through her damned skull!"

Gabriel's burning hand crashed into the snow flake shield. Ymir cackled as he was immediately halted, his punch not even cracking the barrier. Gabriel dug his feet into the dirt as he attempted to find some foot hold to gain leverage against the umovable object. All the while, Ymir's sneer burned into his mind, taunting him.

_I told you it won't work. You have yet to embrace your rage; you will never have the power to break this shield as you are. I suggest we high tail it before the "boom"._

Gabriel heard the arch-fiend's suggestion as he noticed the waves of red coming from his fist and running through the barrier. Each point upon the snow flake glowed with red energy, a signal that it was preparing to fire its stolen payload.

An image of a burning city filled Gabriel's mind. Charred corpses strewn across the streets. And standing atop a mountain of the same corpses, was his hated foe wearing the same sneer he saw now.

Purple light flashed across his left eye as he took a determined step forward, driving his fist further into barrier. Ymir's sneer melted away as cracks appeared across her ward, spreading from where Gabe's fist met the ice. "This can't be."

"Devil…" Gabe pulled his left fist back as purple flames ignited across his forearm.

"DYNAMITE!"

Ymir took a frightened step back as the purple flamed fist shattered her barrier in one blow. And what was worse, the energy her barrier had gathered was no longer contained and had only one path it could travel. It's intended course.

_Boom!_

Maka and the others stared in awe as an eruption of red energy exploded from the point where Gabriel had destroyed the barrier. The wave energy fell over the startled Ymir, awashing her in pure heat and the unbridled force of the Devil Buster's rage.

Ymir stood motionless, her entire body singed black. A colossal scar had been burned into the earth behind her, as the blast of extreme heat passed completely through her. The arch-fiend fell to her knees, her eyes glazed over in shock.

"he he…" Gabe's brow rose as the woman began a quiet chuckling. She lifted her head and gazed senselessly into the pre dawn sky. "I see now why Malus was defeated by the likes of you." Her giggling escalated as her face met Gabe's, her expression one of pure madness, that of a being pushed to their absolute limit. "I love it. Your rage is just too much!" Ymir loosed a surprise gust of icy wind, catching the startled Devil Buster and the three gathered veterans off guard.

Gabe rapidly beat his wings in an attempt to blow back the suffocating icy mist. It wasn't long before the ice had been completely pushed aside. The four swept their gazes across the battle field in search of their suddenly absent opponent.

"Did she get away?" Tsubaki inquired. The group suddenly noticed that a shadow had fallen over them and their gazes flew heaven ward. They gasped in shock to see that the arch-fiend had levitated all the way up past even the tallest spire of Death City, her glaive pointed heavenward and placed in front of the still rising sun. The crystalline blade caught the predawn sun light, prompting the blade to begin to glow a brilliant gold. Zig-zag cracks raced down the blade from its tip to the base of its hilt. The blade immediately fell open like the jaws of a great wolf, streams of golden energy running between the tooth-like ridges of the mouth.

"Surprised little vessel?" Ymir called down a tone of triumph in her voice. "This power was born of Malus's unwavering hatred of you. Let's finally see, if your rage is a match for his hatred!" An orb of pure solar energy had finally formed at the back of the blades mouth. Ymir lowered her fully charged weapon, lining up her shot with Gabriel's exact position. "Armageddon.."

"Dammit!" Gabe's wing's spread out, wrapping about the three veterans who called out in startled protest. Gabe twisted around, releasing his grip around his three seniors and sending sprawling away from the blast point as far as he was able. He then took off, rocketing upward to the hovering Ymir.

"…Nova!" A brilliant ray of pure light and heat erupted from the blade's jaws, racing to meet the soaring Devil Buster. Gabriel's fiery wings spread out ahead of him and intertwined into a membranous make-shift barrier. Gabe braced his hands against his shield just as the blast impacted across it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Gabriel!" Maka watched horror as the ray of light collided with the Devil Buster, blasting him backwards toward the city wall. Gabriel's feet cut into the dirt as he forced back to ground level by the force of the blast. He would be pushed right into the city's wall soon, and his wing barrier looked like it could break at any second.

"C'mon, we have to go help him." KID called, raising Liz and Patty toward the hovering Ymir. Maka and Black Star nodded, readying their own weapons.

"Stay where you are!" The trio stopped in their tracks at their young friends growl.

"Gabe, don't be an idiot!" Soul argued.

"If you don't let us help, it could kill you!" Tsubaki called out in distress.

Suddenly, a hole appeared in Gabriel's membranous shield, allowing a ray of energy to filter through, burning into Gabe's shoulder. "Augh! I don't …care!" Gabe forced his hand into place in front of the hole, not allowing a single ray of light to get through. The skin of his arm had begun to turn charred and black but still he preserved, placing as much strength into his tiny barrier as he could "I brought Malus to Shibusen. I led him to Thomas. I let so many be killed. This battle is mine, and mine alone!" Gabriel's red soul flared up as he finally started to push back against the inexhaustible energy Ymir channeled toward him.

The arch-fiend would not have it. "Burn with your city!" Golden energy streamed through her delicate arms into her blade, adding her own power to what it had already absorbed. "Die!" A second dose of Armageddon Nova exploded from the glaive's jaws, building upon the energy of the blast that came before it.

Gabriel stared horror stricken as his wings were burned away instantaneously. And what surprised him more, was the pain. He had always felt like he was completely fire proof. He had no problems with heat and his skin was far too tough to burn. But this… this was heat beyond anything he had ever felt before. This was fire that exceeded hell hottest pit. The very fire of creation that would destroy him and everything he loved.

"I… have failed." A wisp of steam filtered from his eyes as he closed them against the pain and allowed blackness to engulf him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Allison?" The Diablons stopped in their tracks as the girl suddenly felt to her knees, her hand clasped tightly to her chest. They has left the two Bios back at the academy so they could mourn their dead friend undisturbed all the while the Diablons would head to the front lines in pursuit of their strange acting friend. They soon saw the ray of light filtering from the sky and they had a hunch it had to do with the being Gabe was chasing after.

Now they all huddled around the confused but tear stricken form of their comrade. Allison had absolutely no idea where this sharp pain in her chest had come from. She had only felt this twice before. When Gabriel had become separated from them in Cairo so many months ago and when she sensed him leaving that one night before, when he was going to fight Malus alone.

'Gabriel, please be safe. You promised you wouldn't worry me any more.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Maka stared horror stricken at melted section of the city wall where the Armageddon Nova had finally struck. The wave had completely destroyed the section of stone, leaving behind only a melted mass of tar-like materials. All Shibusen personnel who had been atop that wall had already scaped when they saw the blast heading their way. All save one.

Maka couldn't bare to bring herself to check the debris, hoping to find a body. She knew, beyond any doubt that no one could have survived a blast like that full on and live. Not even Gabriel.

Ymir cackled at the top of her lungs, her glaive pointed upward in triumph. "He's dead! He's finally fucking dead!" Glee spread across her face. The man who killed her lover was dead and with him the only threat to her life that remained in this world. Now there was no one who could stand in her way.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Get up._

The voice rang out through his mind. It sounded familiar, grating and commanding at the same time. He would have given some kind of retort to the voice, a derogatory remark, a rude hand gesture, anything. But he could not will any part of his body to move. Also, he felt hurt all over. The very skin of his body felt raw, like it just wanted rip itself off of him and escape to god knows where.

_Get up._

'I can't.' He thought back out to the face less voice. 'I'm not strong enough. The pain is just too great.'

_You are strong enough. You just haven't released your full strength yet._

'And how exactly do I release it?'

_With more pain._

He would have gripped his head in pain if he could. He would have cried out if he could. But he could not. He could not stop the images from filtering into his mind.

He saw a lone body lying in trash strewn alley way. Icicles had erupted across the long dead corpse, covering like a bloody pin cushion. A lone white hat laid nearby, ownerless.

'Stop! Don't show me these things!'

A lone elderly woman seemed to lovingly hold out an apple to him. Her eyes shown with a motherly joy. The image switched instantly, showing the same woman, now dead, laid upon a table, with a wickedly long crystalline great sword protruding from her chest. Her house guest, a teen boy with red eyes and streaked back blond hair, contently biting into the apple and chuckling at her eternally startled face.

'Dammit! Why won't you leave me alone?!"

A body filled city street, the sound of battle could still be heard, intermingled with the sobs of the vision's main focus. A red haired teen boy sat on his knees, his arms clasped around the unmoving form of a beautiful blond haired girl as the sobs shook his body. The red eyed teen appeared again, lifting the same crystalline blade over top the red haired boy's head.

'Please. I don't want to see anymore.'

_Keep looking. These are the people you chose to fight for. Now witness the consequences of your failure._

A haggard looking teen with a massive hole in his chest now appeared before him. The teen held out his hand, red sparks streaming from his finger tips. "Accept it. My pain, my regret and most of all, my rage!"

'Stop it!'

_Take a look at this._

His eye's wanted so much not to look, but it was no longer up to him. His eyes fell on the sight of the red skinned demon holding its closed hand out to him. The demon opened its grip revealing a familiar golden hair pin. His eyes then widened in shock as the demon crushed it within his powerful grip, bending the metal carving of the triumphant angel into an undeterminable form.

_What do you think will happen to her because of your negligence?_

'Shut up.' He snarled into the demons face, cursing his immobile body.

_Everything you ever cared about is going to be reduced to an ugly stain in this vast desert, and you're going to just lay down and die?_

'Shut up!'

_Gabriel. You said you would always protect me._

His eyes widened in shock as the image of the demon melted away. Revealing in its place, a slim figured girl in a beautiful black dress. Her long, auburn hair fell down across her shoulder and the still dented angel pin hung lop-sided on the strap of her gown. She smiled warmly at him and wrapped her arms about his neck as she leaned in close to stare her deep blue eyes into his maroon ones.

_Are you really going to betray me and the others?_

'No! I would…I would never…'

Suddenly, a mighty gale picked up, throwing snow and ice every where. Gabriel's eye's widened in horror as the brown haired girl's skin had begun to turn an icy blue and a thick layer of frost had began to spread from her feet up to her waist.

_It's so cold. At this rate I might die. Will you keep me warm, Gabriel?_

He wanted to. He needed to. He tried with all his might to move his arms so he could hold that tiny body in them. But his arms laid uselessly at his sides.

_What's wrong? If you don't hold me I could die. Do you want that?  
><em>'No!'

Her warm smile remaining across her face despite the ice moving up her body unnerved him. The ice had already made it to her shoulders and was now making its way up her neck.

_I guess this is goodbye. I'm dead now because you refused to help me._

Those were her final words as the ice over took the tiny frame of her face and rendering it in an eternal smile.

'NO! I promised! I promised I would always protect you!'

Finally his arms did move, they slowly and achingly began to rise toward the frozen girl. They wrapped about her icy form, gently pulling her in close.

_Crack!_

Horror was all he expressed as the cracks began to branch out across her body. Splitting her head in two as one half fell to the ground and shattered like glass at his feet.

'No. This wasn't suppose to happen. This… I WON'T LET THIS HAPPEN!"

The snow flurry ceased, becoming instantly replaced by a low rumbling that shook the very earth he stood upon. Gabriel threw back his head letting loose a savage roar as the ground cracked. Pools of molten lava poured forth from the cracks, rising and pooling, reaching past his legs as his roar caused the very ground to tremble.

_Let it all out! Let it out and let it burn, little Devil. Make Fury the air you breath. Make it the blood that flows through your veins. Become Fury Incarnate!_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx_

(Bgm: Cantata Mortis)

_Whoosh!_

The three veterans stepped back in shock as the pillar of red light billowed forth from the ruined wall. The light compacted and shaped itself into a colossal orb of swirling red fire. Bat-like wings rose upward and twin column like horns ascended between them. Even the formerly gleeful Ymir was forced to step back in fright as the furious wavelength began to boil and break the remaining stone. Black steam billowed forth from the frothing tar as something began to steer beneath the surface of the black liquid.

"No! It can not be!" Ymir cried out in pure denial and terror. "He's fully resonated with Surtyr's power!"

The fiery orb soon ceased, channeling back into the pool of tar, turning the onyx surface a bright red. A final disturbance in the liquid's surface signaled the occupants rise.

Black finger tips rose up from the tar, followed close behind by the arms as the struggled to free themselves from the burning tar. The arms clawed for dry land, finally grasping the non melted platform as they began to attempt the rest of their body from the pit.

The three veterans stared wide eyed as featureless head rose to the surface. No hair, no eyes, nose or mouth. Only the oval like shape of a human head. The creature peered left and right, taking in its new, lighted surroundings.

"Is that…Gabe?" Liz squeaked nervously. The head zoomed in her direction at the sound of her voice. Liz immediately clamped her mouth shape as the charred looking thing realized that their were people about. It then turned away, as if it was not concerned or perhaps it has just forgotten. A pair of broad shoulders and a well muscled chest came next out of the pool. The creature had pulled itself about part way already and it was beginning to free its lower half.

"I must kill it now while it's distracted." Ymir raised her sword once more as solar energy turned her frozen glaive gold. The black creature paid no heed to this as it finally freed one of its legs.

"Die!" The jaws of the glaive flew open once again as the Armageddon Nova erupted from the jagged maw.

The creature finally seemed to notice its danger too late as the blast of super heated energy struck it full in the face. Ymir grinned in victory as the beast's upper body had become engulfed in her attack. She then blinked in surprise as a stream of fire bypassed her energy blast. The head of a honed serpent grew from the head of the fiery coil. The serpent charged ahead, clamping its burning jaws into Ymir's shoulder.

The Arch-fiend cried out in shock and pain as its fangs dug into her delicate looking, pale flesh. The serpent then reared up, pulling Ymir with it and causing her to drop her weapon, ending the stream of solar fire.

Ymir was flung forward, right into the grip of the black beast. The three veterans could finally get a good look at the now freed creature. Its once inky black skin now radiated with an orange glow as heat flowed from it. The serpent that had pulled Ymir into its grip now began to shrink and recede into the beast's body, finally fading away as it disappeared into its shoulder. The naked beast stood atleast six and a half feet tall, about as tall as Gabriel is, they observed. Just like its face it was practically feature less, though its body was heavily muscled.

Ymir grit her teeth against the heat coming from the creatures grip. The heat then began to fade as black steam flowed off its body, returning to its former obsidian color.

_Crack!_

Suddenly, patches of purple light filtered from its body as cracks appeared across its arms, legs, torso and even across its face. The cracks across its arms spread faster and faster until the layer of black crust fell away all together.

Maka, KID, Black Star and their various weapons gasped in recognition as the black fell away to be replaced by a familiar scaly red.

"It is Gabriel." Maka muttered, falling to her knees in part relief and part horror. Relief that her young friend was still alive. Horror at what he seemed to have become.

Where blue light had once been across the demonic arm, purple light now flowed across the limb ending at its, now clawed, finger tips. More purple light filtered from the beast that was the Devil Buster's body as he looked over his prize.

"Unhand me!" Ymir snarled as she smashed the palm of her hand against the shoulder of the arm she was held in, covering it in frost. Gabriel released his iron grip, giving Ymir the chance she needed to leap back and retrieve her blade.

Gabriel(?) looked over the ice now permeating on his shoulder. He looked away from it, not seeming mildly concerned as he brushed the ice away, and now began a slow, slouched march to the onguard Ymir. He then halted in his tracks and suddenly fell to his knees, gripping his head in pain. Ymir blinked in confusion of this act as did the three veterans.

_What are you waiting for Fury? She's right there, kill her!_

Fury Incarnate bent over forward, his face nearly touching the ground as the trembling shook his frame. Pieces of black shell from his face as streams of white smoke billowed up. He then raised his face up and Ymir stepped back, unnerved at the sight of the twin pits of purple fire now glaring at her from the black shell.

_Sic'em_

He instantly exploded into movement, crashing into the startled Ymir as the fell forward in a stumbling roll. He came out on top as he planted one of his knees into her stomach. Ymir attempted to smash the side of her glaive into his head but he held back the blade with a single hand as he pulled the other back.

Ymir twisted her head to the side as the red fist punched a crater into the earth where her head had been. The beast pulled back for another when Ymir finally managed to get her foot underneath his stomach. She kicked out, sending him flying off of her. She pulled herself back up as he landed lightly at a crouch.

A guttural cry issue forth from the black void of a face as more cracks criss-crossed across the face's lower half. The cracks opened wide in a parody of a jacko-latern like smile. Fury Incarnate issued a monstrous roar of challenge as he pounced forward once again.

Just as he got into range, Ymir slammed her glaive down onto his shoulder, pushing him deeper into the ground with her raw power. He didn't even cringe. He lifted the glaive, one handed off his shoulder and struck out with his free hand, gripping one of the wing-like appendages on her head.

He pulled on his new handhold, bringing her face just into reach of his knee. The small wing ripped free from her skull as she fell back, leaving a bloody hole on the side of her head.

The Arch-fiend now sported a broken nose as she gripped the bleeding side of her head. It was becoming clear that she was outmatched. Her options were becoming more and more limited. She then looked skyward, too a thick layer of clouds that hung over the battle scarred city. She smiled, she still had a trick left.

Fury Incarnate bared his claws, ready to continue, but then the tricky Ymir suddenly leaped over him, rapidly ascending into the sky. What intelligence remained in the rage controlled beast immediately became wise to her ploy as she flew toward a thick layer of clouds. He would not allow her too escape into the clouds.

Jets of fire exploded from his shoulder blades as the fiery membranous wings lifted him into the air.

"I'm heading after them." Maka said as she summoned the wings of her Grigori soul to Soul's shaft.

"What do you hope to do?" KID inquired. The three had witnessed the clash of those two titans. They saw Gabriel, the boy they thought dead rise up from that pool of melted rock and become something…completely inhuman.

"I don't know. I don't know but I can't just sit her and do nothing." Her wickedly sharp wings blew dust into the air as she took off, hoping beyond hope that her fears were wrong. That her precious student was not already beyond their ability to help.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nothing but white as far as the eye could see. Fury Incarnate growled in frustration as he searched for his prey. Somehow she had escaped his sight and could be well on her way away from Death City, and out of his reach.

_Do not let her escape. Get to the top of the clouds._

The rage filled beast looked heavenward, his wings beating as he rose higher and higher. Soon, the clouds had become even thicker, a sure sign that he was close to the top.

He suddenly saw a gleam of silver from the corner of his eyes. He roared expectantly as he crashed through the clouds, his claws reaching out to tear his foe apart.

"Gabriel!"

Fury Incarnate halted mid pounce, his claws just inches away from the blond woman's face. Her green eyes quivered in shock. They were…familiar.

_Fury. What are you doing?! Destroy her!_

Fury Incarnate pulled his trembling claw back, his mind still reeling over where he remembered this woman from.

"Gabriel it's me Maka!" She cried out to him. His claw slowly lowered.

_Destroy her now!_

"Gabriel." She placed one of her hands on his arm, her green eyes staring straight into him.

"Maka! Incoming!"

Maka saw her just as Soul cried out. Ymir had exploded from the cloud cover, her ice blade rapidly extending toward them.

"Gabriel! Get out of-!"

_Stab!_

The black beast had shoved Maka back last second, allowing the extendable blade of Hrunting to pierce through one of his red scaled arms. Crimson blood flowed from the wounded appendage but he shook the pain away as he slammed his elbow down on the blade, shattering it into icy slivers. Ymir stared shocked at the shattered remains of her blade. And she was even more startled when Fury Incarnate wrenched the tip of the blade from his arm and hurled back it her way.

The arch-fiend screamed as the sliver of ice lodged itself into her eye, splattering blue blood down her cheeks. She grasped at the piece of ice, finally succeeding in removing it from her socket, just as Fury closed the difference between them. He smashed his knee into her stomach knocking the air out of her lungs. The arch-fiend quickly recovered, countering with a powerful round house to his ribs. Ymir heard the satisfying sound of bones breaking only to blink in confusion when Fury cupped his hands together and smashed the ice woman groundward with a hammer blow to the head.

Ymir plummeted as she quickly regained her sense. She twisted in midair, attempting to correct her descent, but powerful fingers wrapped about the back of her head, forcing her back into a fall as the ground rushed to meet her.

_Crash!_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Maka stared in awe at Gabriel's ferocious assault. She had seen him during one of his rampages before but this was a completely different Gabriel. It wasn't just his appearance; it wasn't his fighting style, his fighting habits, he didn't even call out the names of his attacks like he usually does.

But still…for a brief moment, when Gabriel seemed to intentionally take that surprise attack, it seemed like the Gabe she knew.

"Let's get closer Soul." She commanded.

"Are you sure about that." He asked nervously. "He did try to attack you just now you know." But in the end he complied, slowly brining them closer to the ground where Gabriel and Ymir had impacted.

"I know the real Gabriel is still in there. Just have a little faith."

"Have faith in what can now be called a literal Devil? Sure why not."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

Ymir groaned in pain as Fury lifted her up by her throat, plumes of white smoke rising from the twin pits of fire that were his eyes.

_Finish her._

Ymir choked back a gasp as Fury's grip tightened around her throat, his clawed finger tips cutting into her neck, causing lines of blue to run down.

"Hack! You maybe able to kill me little vessel…" Ymir smiled through the blood filling her throat. "But you've still lost. Where do you think my Fenrir is?"

Fury cocked his to the side in confusion of her words.

_It does not concern us. Kill her now._

Ymir used her remaining eye to look heavenward, her gaze falling on the layer of clouds just over the city. Fury followed her gaze, his eyes resting on the center of the white giant.

Suddenly, a twinkle of gold could be seen in a crack between the clouds. Fury peered closer, focusing solely on the gold light.

It _was_ Fenrir! It hovered masterless above the clouds, golden energy running up the length of its blade and focusing directly in the gap between its jaws. Already a new orb of golden light had formed, and this one was much larger than the previous.

"My blade has been gathering energy for quite a while now. I can only imagine what will happen to the city when the energy is released." Ymir stated with a sinister tone.

_The city does not matter! Kill her quickly and escape from this place!_

Despite the voice of Surtyr ringing loud and clear in his head, Fury could not turn away. The sight of that dangerous light looming just over the unsuspecting city filled his entire mind frame. The thought of that city being reduced to ash, every soul that lived their, reduced to dust in an instant. The thought appalled him.

Fury tossed aside his captive foe allowing her the sweet relief of oxygen. He was in the air before his wings had even sprouted from his shoulders and soon he was soaring, headed directly for the city a part of him called home.

Ymir clutched her raw throat and smiled as the black skinned demon rushed off to what she could only hope was his own doom. She lifted her bruised body back onto her feet and was soon on her way away from the soon to be vaporized city.

"With this it's my complete victory. Surtyr and his aggravating vessel will be no more. Death City, the last threat to my ascension will be destroyed. It couldn't be more perfect." The arch-fiend knew she had won. Her's and Malus's vengeance was now complete and nothing could stand in her way now.

If only.

"Not so fast!" Ymir turned startled at the war cry that seemed to come from nowhere. Her head swerved left and right but no one stepped forth to impede her. So where…?"

"Djinni Hunter!" Ymir then looked upward, startled to see the blond haired meister plummeting toward her, her wicked halberd-bladed scythe raised over her head.

Ymir had absolutely no time to avoid the attack. Her only option was to repel it.

"Bring it on you pathetic wench!" Ymir snarled as she grounded her feet and threw her hands out in challenge.

"I will defeat you!" Maka slammed the djinni hunter hunter atop the arch-fiend just as Ymir caught the descending blade between her hands.

_Whoosh!_

The force of Maka's impact kicked up a mighty blast of air as Ymir was forced deeper into the ground. Maka struggled with all her might against the inhuman strength of the arch-fiend as Ymir arrogantly sneered through her attempt.

"This is the limit of you pathetic mortals. You talk big but when gets right down to it you but mere insects compared to me. Everyone, even that freak vessel, are but bugs beneath my heel." Ymir snarled as a gust of frozen wind began to pick up around the struggling women. "Now you die! Raging-!"  
><em>Crack!<em>

Ymir stared in shock as cracks began to race along the length of her arm, starting from twin punctures in her shoulder.

"It can't be…"

_The serpent charged ahead, clamping its burning jaws into Ymir's shoulder. The Arch-fiend cried out in shock and pain as its fangs dug into her delicate looking, pale flesh._

"From back then…!"

"Heh heh. Looks like that so called freak helped swing this fight in our favor." Soul grinned at Ymir dismayed face. "Let's take her out, honey!"

"Haaaaaahhhhhh!" Maka pushed against the weakening grip of the arch-fiend, her pure white grigori soul triumphantly flaring up around her.

_Shatter!_

Ymir stared in shock and terror as her left arm fell off half way, the glowing blue halberd blade slicing into her unprotected shoulder.

"No!"

"Straight Line Hunter!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX

"What's that?!" Akira called out in shock as rays of golden light streamed from the clouds overhead. It couldn't of been the sun, he could still see it rising in the west.

"This heat." Xeal wiped the streams of sweat from his brow. The light seemed to give an unbearable amount of heat and the temperature was only rising.

"Look at that!" Daniel pointed off toward the city's main entrance. The others followed his gaze just as a red winged black blur passed by overhead, the force of its pass knocking everyone off their feet.

"Did you guys see that?!"

The group of teens turned at Robyn's call as he, Allison, Sakuya, Phoenix and Marie sprinted into the town square.

"What the hell was that thing?" Akira asked. The group's expressions showed they knew nothing. All save one.

"It was Gabriel." Mariam stated getting the groups attention. They were immediately taken back by the scared look in her eyes. Her pale bluish eyes were widened as far as they could go and she had begun to break out in a cold sweat. "It was Gabriel, but…" Robyn put a comforting arm around his partner as she began to shudder. "There was something very wrong with him. He just felt…so completely wrong!"

Marie turned away from the direction the black blur flew off to; burying her face in Robyn's shoulder. But Allison did look on, her hand tightening around the angel pen in her hand.

'Gabriel, please come back to me.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_What the hell do you think you're doing Fury?!_

Surtyr's berating commands echoed in his mind as Fury Incarnate alighted atop one of the academy's skull shaped domes. His eyes immediately turned heavenward as the streams of golden rays shone brighter than ever, a clear sign that the Armageddon Nova's charge phase was beginning to reach its apex.

Fury grounded his feet into the plaster roof, his claws balled into fist and his arms raised half way at his sides.

_You cannot disobey me! You are my vessel and this is my body now! Do as I command!_

'My body for their lives.' Fury's voice echoed through his mind to his tenets shock. 'My soul for their lives. My life for their lives. You can take nothing from me, for everything belongs only to my friends.'

Red light shone through his fist as the purple light flared off of his body. Streams of red energy flowed between his two hands, gathering in the center. A small orb of red energy took form, followed by tow smaller orbs that hovered around it. Soon the smaller orbs began to spin in opposite directions around the larger orb. They rotated faster and faster until they became but ring like blurs around the orb.

An atom. Within the black shelled Fury's hands was a large scale version of the smallest material known to man. The smallest and the most unstable.

Fury closed his clawed hands over the atom, crushing it in his inhuman grip. Soon, his hands began to vibrate violently as streams of red energy squirmed between his fingers, fighting to get. He opened his hands, just a little, allowing the energy to expand until one could see an orb of red flames gripped between his claws.

Fury pointed his intertwined hands upward, the red ball of flames growing ever bigger as he released more and more of its energy.

"Walpurgest…!"

The clouds instantly parted as a ray of golden light streamed down, directly above the waiting Fury.

"ATOMIC!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"No way." Xeal fell to his knees as the ray of solar energy fell toward them. They had absolutely no idea what could have caused this, but all they knew was that they were powerless to stop it.

_Boom!_

The Diablons and Bios turned their eyes away as a second pillar of red light exploded from the direction of the academy. The pillar of red light shot straight up until it impacted with the ray of gold.

_BOOM!_

The teens were immediately knocked off their feet once again as the force of the two beams clash sent a wave of sound and wind across the city. Crumbling building fell to pieces from the blasts. Shibusen and Chimerae alike stared up in awe as a globe of intermingled red and gold grew where the tow beams met.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

"Gggggrrrrrraaaaaahhhhhh!" Fury roared in rage as he struggled to control the constant stream of pure atomic fire that flowed from his palms.

Armageddon Nova and Walpurgest Atomic. The two ultimate techniques created by the two Ringrose brothers.

Fury channeled every ounce of his rage into this one final attack. He knew that if this failed, this city would be destroyed and everyone with it. And the thought enraged him.

Fury broke the cage his claws had made around the sphere of atomic fire, allowing it to explode free from its confines and blaze forth toward the heavens.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oooh. So cool!" Patti cried as she, Liz, KID, Black Star and Tsubaki watched the beam of red light explode to life as it finally began to push back against the destructive beam of solar energy.

"Is Gabe doing this?" Liz asked to the awed Shinigami. KID said nothing. He too believed that the Devil Buster was at the epicenter of this light show, but the thought that the young weapon was capable of such a feat made him shudder. And the thought of what else he was capable of.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Joanna, stay behind me!" Beltza said as he summoned a cloud of black blood to shield the two Bios from the heat that the red pillar of flame produced. Joe nodded, holding the corpse of her dead partner close.

Sho. Not a moment had gone by that Joe had not remembered the look of guilt and pain he wore after their contact in the alley way with Duncan. The face he wore then was the face of a man who had betrayed himself and everything he stood for. But, when the Devil Buster had carried his limp form down to her, Joe had noticed the look of contentment that he wore. As if he had accomplished some great task that wiped his guilt away with his death.

Now Joe watched as the black beast atop the skull shaped academy building fought with every ounce of strength he had, pushing with all his might to repel the shining attack that would doom them all.

'Is this what you wanted, Sho?'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The burning! The flames had penetrated straight through the black shell around his body, burning his black skin away. His arms had already succumbed, the usual red scales of his demonic hands withering under the constant stream of atomic fire he unleashed. And still he pressed on.

The Walpurgest Atomic was winning. Already he had pushed the golden ray back into the cloud cover, its weakening host starting to finally use up the last of its power.

"No matter what…" Gabriel muttered through the black crust plastered to his face. "No one else … IS GOING TO DIE!"

His blast sailed through the skies, completely decimating the layer of clouds. The red pillar of light triumphantly overwhelmed the golden ray as the steady stream of atomic fire ceased, becoming nothing more than smoke and ash in his hands.

Gabriel panted, finally able to lower his charred limbs.

_So you've saved your precious city. Now what?_

Surtyr grumbles were not unheard as Gabriel's gaze fell back on the vast desert where had left his foe.

"Now we finish it."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hah hah hah!"

She had to get away. The thought filled every corner of the distressed Ymir's mind. She had barely escaped with her life as Maka's scythe blade cut into her delicate skin. She had escaped using the cloud of dust the attack kicked up, though she had lost her entire left arm and a part of her face for her trouble.

She had seen the clash between the two beams of light. She watched in terror as Fury's attack completely decimated the masterless Fenris and she knew, he would come for her next.

"Curse that infernal little human ape." She snarled as she was forced to rest against the mountainside she had taken refuge on. How? How was able to keep fighting? No matter how many times she or Malus put him down he would come back stronger than ever. What drove him to such levels of rage that it could even over power one of the arch-fiends themselves.

She suddenly heard the sound of rocks tumbling nearby. Her head swerved to the side in search of danger, but saw nothing. She tried to tell herself that it was just nerves, that she should not let fear overwhelm her better sense. She should have listened to them.

Then he plopped down directly infront of her. He had scaled the mountain to ambush her and now he had the startled arch-fiend cornered. He looked terrible. The black shell on his entire upper body had completely burned away, save for a chunk that still clung and covered half his face. Twin pools of purple fire glared hatefully at her.

Ymir tried to dive to the side in a desperate move to escape but he was on her in an instant. His charred black hands clasped about her throat, smashing her head against the wall of rock. His other hand pulled back, red flames burning down its length. He would not fail to kill her this time.

"What is it?! What gives you this power? What is the source of your rage?!" She demanded.

He said nothing as he glared emotionlessly into her acid green eyes. She gasped as white plumes of steam rose up from the still beastial side of his face. And then she saw them. She saw visions of four different people.

One, a smiling man wearing a white fedora, he playfully fired a finger gun her way. The second, an elderly japaneses woman holding offering an apple with a motherly grin. The third, a girl with long blond hair sipping boredly from a can of soda, she unfeelingly lifted her drink in a toast to Ymir. And the last, a blond haired boy wearing a white samurai style jacke. He grinned as he held his fist out, his thumb pointing to the side. And then he turned it straight down.

The visions faded away leaving the startled Ymir back in the grip of the Devil Buster. And then, the arch-fiend that had waged war against Death City, had been party to the deaths of each of those people, smiled.

"I see…" She muttered as the burning fist rushed toward her face.

"So it's sorrow."

"**Bwa hahahaha! I'm done! I'm finally freaking done! I don't care anymore because I'm done! Bwahahahahahaha! **_**Bzzzt!**_

**WE APOLOGZIE FOR THESE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES FOR THE AUTHOR HAS GONE INTO A MENTAL BREAKDOWN. HE WILL RETURN SOON TO PUT UP THE EPILOUGE CHAPTER, FOLLOWED BY A TRAILER FOR HIS NEXT PROJECT AS WELL AS AN OC PROFILE SAMPLE (because I forgot to put one up in the first place)**

**Please review, or flame if you find it necessary.**

**I do not… oh I don't even care anymore.**


	41. Burnt Out

**Hey all. Sorry that I went a little nuts last time. To be honest, because of how long the last chapter was getting, and the fact that I had a family thing over the weekend, I wanted to get done as soon as possible so you guys wouldn't have to wait until Monday for my update. **

**Alright. One more chapter to end the season, then the second movie trailer.**

**Morning after the battle. Burnt out!**

"What is the place?"

Gabriel's eye's swerved over the completely pitch black abyss he had awakened to. The last thing he remembered was standing atop of Shibusen Academy. He remembered the all consuming burning sensation that stabbed straight through his skin, as if all of his skin had been removed and his unprotected body was left to bake under the hot sun. And that wasn't all.

Gabriel stared down at his hands, both completely human in appearance for some reason. He felt an uncontrollable shudder come over his hands as he remembered that final sensation before he blacked out. He had… killed something. What was it?

As these thoughts intermingled within his conscious, the distracted Devil Buster felt his foot fall into empty space. Gabriel quickly backed away before he fell straight into the completely black abyss. No… not completely black. He could just barely make it out but he could see twin points of purple flame filtering up from the abyss.

"Surtyr?" Gabriel recognized those twin lavender eyes for what they were, but when he called down there was no response.

Suddenly, the abyss began to rumble to life as Gabriel noticed the purple eyes climb ever closer. No, they weren't just getting closer. They were getting bigger?

Gabriel quickly backed away from the dark pit as the gigantic twin orbs of fire stared gravely back at him. The thing's face was completely covered by darkness.

"What are you?" Gabriel asked, a bead of sweat running down his brow as he fell back onto his haunches.

As if in answer, a line of purple fire began to zigzag beneath the thing's eyes. The line began to spread open like a crack in the earth, giving the gigantic creature a wicked, jack-o-latern like grin.

_I am a devil. I am the rage that will burn the world._

The rasping, hollow voice did not come exactly from Gabriel's monstrous companion as it seemed to filter forth from the entire area around him. But he had no doubts about the voice's owner.

_And I am you._

Gab e blanched at this last remark. "I don't understand."

"This might help." Gabriel quickly swung his head to the side. Surtyr had suddenly appeared right beside him, the leathery, red skinned demon holding up what appeared to be a simple hand mirror. Gabriel gazed into his tenets item and the image he saw made him scream.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gabriel immediately awoke, his body covered in a cold sweat. He immediately swerved his head to take in his new surroundings. He was lying in a simple four-poster bed within a four walled bedroom. A desk covered in books made up one corner of the room, rows of framed photographs hung right above the work station. A door Gabe guessed led to a bathroom made up another corner.

The Devil Buster was starting to get over his disorientation when he realized he was in his own room. Somehow, he was back home in his apartment in his own bed.

_Zzzz_

And he apparently wasn't alone. Gabriel turned to see a sleeping face lying next to his.

'Allison!'

Red rushed to his face as the sleeping brown haired girl whispered and grumbled in her sleep, her head propped on a pillow as she leaned over the bed from her position sitting in a nearby chair. Gabe sighed in relief, glad that he hadn't woken her. He quietly slipped from the other side of the bed and circled around to the girl's side. He gently lifted her up from her seated position and placed her directly into the bed, gently pulling the covers over her.

He just stood there for a bit, watching his beloved meister sleep. He attempted to lightly brush a strand of hair from her face when he noticed the thick gauze wrapped about his hand.

He looked down at his arms. Both his arms and hands were covered in white gauze, mid way to his elbow. His fingers were wrapped and bound together, making it hard for him to grip.

Gabriel's adam's apple dropped in worry. He quietly retrieved some fresh clothes from his dresser on the other side of the room. He then made his quiet way over to the bathroom and gently closed the door behind him.

Pre-dawn light filtered from the window so he didn't need to flip the light switch.

'What day is it?' He thought as he pulled on the fresh tee-shirt. Gabriel then walked over to the mirror hanging over the sink, dreading what he might find.

'Thank goodness.' He sighed with relief. His face was exactly as it was supposed to be. No black crust that covered half his face. No wicked half smile zigzagging across his mouth. And only the normal maroon filled his eyes, no purple whatsoever.

'Okay. Time to fix this up a bit.' Gabe thought as he began to unwrap the bandages from his arms. He appreciated whoever had fixed him up, but he would have preferred having use of his fingers. As the gauze began to unravel from his hand, Gabe got a look at the tops of his fingers. His eyes widened and he gave up on respectfully unwrapping them and simply tore the wrappings away.

He quickly rushed over to the sink, turning the water on and slipping his hands under the running water. He rubbed and washed his arms with all his might but the black did not come off. Both his forearms had turned an ashy black. And he could not wash it away.

'Hmm?' Steam began to filter up from the bowl of water. He realized that he had turned the water on full heat. Now normally, this wouldn't bother him. But even though he was mostly fire-proof and heat registered much lower for him, his body could still at least tell a mild difference between hot and cold. But, even under the scalding water, his hands felt nothing and it unnerved him.

Gabriel's eyes rose back up to the mirror. Still his face, but he could not help but see that… thing. The black thing that fed off of the dying Sho's regrets and anger. The thing that whispered to him from his nightmares. The thing that stared back at him from the abyss.

_Crack!_

Red blood mixed with the draining water as shards of glass dug into Gabriel's charred black fist. He pulled his shaking hand back as he stared expressionlessly at the bloodied black knuckles. 'I can't feel a thing.' (D: Admit it. This is the most emo you've all seen him.)

The door leading back into the bedroom suddenly swung open and Gabriel was afraid his outburst had woken Allison, but instead, Robyn appeared at the door. He blanched at the sight of the injured Gabriel standing next to the shattered mirror. Marie, Sakuya, Phoenix and Hisako filed in behind, showing similar expressions.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX

"You realize that's seven years back luck right?" Phoenix commented as Hisako and he redressed Gabriel's wounds, this time not even bothering to wrap his finger as he pulled on the pair of brown gloves he used to wear to hide his hands.

"Seven more?" Gabe asked unconcerned. Luckily enough, Allison had in fact slept through Gabe's assault of his bathroom mirror and when they all burst into the room to check the disturbance. The girl slept soundly through the whole thing.

"She hasn't slept much since the battle ended." Hisako explained. "She's been at your side ever since you fell unconscious."

"How long was I out?"

"Almost a week."

"Five days to be exact." Sakuya added. Gabe leaned back into his chair, his face covered by his hand. He had been asleep for five days straight?! There were lazy salamanders who didn't stay under for that long. (D: Heh heh ;))

"What happened after… you know." He assured them that he did indeed remember what had happened to him.

"Plaguea left about halfway through your fight, most of her chimerae went with her." Marie explained. "Mori's robots and a few stragglers remained but they were easy enough to exterminate after Mori and his men showed up."

Gabriel's brow rose in curiosity. "Lord Death let Mori help?"

"Not for free." Robyn said. "Mori offered the use of his remaining troops and resources under the condition that they be given shelter. Considering that both sides had taken serious beatings lately, the boss didn't really have a choice."

"We found you unconscious hours later on one of the mountains." Phoenix added last minutes.

"And Ymir?"

Phoenix grinned grimly. "We saw pieces of her across the mountainside." Gabe returned the grin weakly. But his expression sombred up immediately. There was still one thing he needed to know.

"Exactly… how bad was our beating?" They knew what he really wanted to ask. "How many did we lose?"

"More than a hundred reported dead. Almost another hundred still unaccounted for." Hisako stated, a sad look spreading across her face and spreading to the others.

Gabe at first just stared at her bewildered, but then lowered his face to the table, his hands on his head. 'Oh my god!' "This is all my fault." He whispered.

Robyn placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. "Bro, nobody blames you. You heard Malus's big opening speech right. He was eventually going to attack this place whether you had been here or not." The others nodded their heads in agreement.

Gabe raised his face from the table and offered a slight smile. "Thanks. But I'm not off the hook though, am I?" He asked, more at Hisako than the others. "What Malus meant by he and I being similar. About that thing I turned into."

The others turned their heads away uncomfortably. "It's okay." He assured them. "It's actually a relief to get my last secret off my chest. But first thing's first…" He said getting out of his chair and stretching his back. "I believe I promised you guys a feast after the party." His team Diablon friend's eyes lit up at this. "It's a couple day's late but how about I make everyone a breakfast to remember." He went over to the refrigerator in his tiny kitchen. "Hmm. Seems I'm lacking in food stuffs." He closed the refrigerator door and waltzed over to his front door, where a familiar white fedora greeted him at the coat rack.

"Where's my jacket?" He asked dropping his mentor's hat on his head.

"Sorry we couldn't find it." Sakuya apologized. Gabriel stopped in his tracks for a split second. 'Aniki.' Gabe thought sadly. He'd even lost the only momento of his past life. Of his first real family. This was getting better and better.

Gabe plastered a reassuring smile on his face as he turned back to face them. "It's fine. Okay, I'm going to see if I can get my hands on some groceries and why don't you guy's call everybody over. Heck, try and get ahold of Toya and his crew if you can." He called as he closed the door behind him despite his friends calls for him to wait.

"Is this okay?" Marie asked Hisako. Despite what Robyn said, there were many people who saw his… transformation. And some that did in fact blame him for the attack.

"Let him go for now." Hisako ordered. "He just wants a little time alone." And silently, she prayed she had made the right decision.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Smack!_

"Hah, hah!" Daniel Leon panted from fatigue as he continued to hammer at the wooden dummy with his bokuto sword. Each impact sent a numbing throb through his arms and still he persisted.

The blade meister stood shirtless in the Academy dojo, the bullet wound like marks on his chest and stomach evident across his sweating frame. He had allowed Xeal to heal him but he could only close the wounds, leaving the series of indents that remained of the beast, Peccatum's, deadly work. Leon's thoughts went to where the half witch was now.

Xeal had assured him that he would stay by Hana and Rosa's side in case there was anything else he could do, but at the moment he continued to explain that his magic would cause more harm than good considering their injuries. The doctors had assured him that though the wounds had healed nicely and there was no danger of internal bleeding, the damage to their legs and arms was most disconcerting.

Neither of the two girl's had awoken yet and as it was, when they did they would not be able to move for sometime. Malus's ice blades had pierced directly through multiple bones in their arms and legs, fracturing them, and that it could take months for them to recover completely. (I'm no medical expert so this might be wrong.) Xeal had explained that use of his magic could cause the bones and mucles to heal wrong, disabling the girls for good.

'I must get stronger!' His thoughts screamed as he smacked the dummy with a descending chop. 'Even stronger!' He followed up by pivoting his wrist and slicing upward with one hand. 'Strong enough, so this won't happen again!' His final swing completely sliced through the wood and straw dummy, prompting its "head" to join its predescors on the floor.

"You got beef with these dummies?" Leon turned on the man leaning in the dojo's doorway. "Morning." Gabriel gave a tiny smile and wave as he entered the broken dummy strewn dojo.

"You seem well." Leon stated as he rubbed the sweat from his brow using a towel. Gabe offered him a bottle of water which he graciously took.

"More or less." Gabe agreed holding up his gauze covered arms. "How long have you been at this?"

"I come here whenever I'm not visiting …"

"I see." Gabe stated. "Everybody's been busy while I've been napping. You guys should take it easy." Leon shook his head at the suggestion, returning to the group of dummies.

"I cannot rest. I must improve myself otherwise I may be a hindrance for the next battle." Leon readied his stance preparing to continue his drills.

Gabe sighed in exasperation. "I figured you'd say that." Leon watched curiously as the Devil Buster began rummaging through a pile of practice weapons. He returned not long after, a wooden broadsword resting on his shoulder. "I guess I'll have to save those dummies the pain and be your sparing partner."

Leon blinked at this unusual offer. Rarely did his friend ask for a fight with anyone but Wu. And even then it was with other hand to hand experts like Mint or Black Star. It was strange that he would challenge someone to a sword fight.

"Are you sure about this?" Leon asked as he readied his much smaller bokuto sword. Gabe smirked and gave a, disturbingly, familiar one handed swing with his sword. He flexed his free hand until he heard a satisfying pop.

"Try me."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What do you make of this, Aki-kun?" Hikari Mori asked her bewildered teammate. The Bios all gathered around a single broken body lying in the dirt near Death City's cemetery. The man's face was stuck in a look of eternal terror as his torso had been completely crushed, as if by some gigantic foot.

"Hausen." Beltza seemed to breathe with a hint of displeasure. He had apparently wanted to make the man who had pumped him full of White blood pay. Though the deed had already been done and the Ichor had been demolished by Xeal's ultimate technique, the Bios anger still remained.

"Easy Bel." Mint put a calming hand on Beltza's back, causing him to jump since he wasn't used to anyone but his teammates being so informal with him. Mint giggled as he quickly backed away with a wary expression on his face. "Ah he's shy, how cute!" Beltza sped off as the hug happy Mint started to chase him around the cobblestone path, intent to hug fresh in her eyes.

Lavender, along with the remaining Bios sweat dropped at the sight. "Is she always like that?" Akira asked, still not used to seeing the "other side" of his former foes.

"Yeah." Lavender only sighed as Beltza called out in fright, having been caught by Mint's stranglehold bear hug. Lavender walked over to pry Mint from the struggling Beltza while Akira and Hikari returned to the matter of the apparently murdered Hausen.

"Only a mech could do this." Hikari observed. "But what mech has foot prints like these?" She gestured to the two sets of parallel marks along the path. Each track was several feet apart implying that the culprit had a wide leg spread. Each track seemed to have three toes, two at the front and one at the back.

"The behavior is strange to." Akira added. "I followed these tracks all the way to city wall before I met up with you guy's. From what I can tell the thing scaled the wall to get in, killed Hausen and then hightailed it before it was seen. Really strange behavior for a machine."

"Should we ask otou-sama about this." Hikari suggested.

"Probably for the best. Who knows what got out after Plaguea took over."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gabe gave a mighty battle cry as he swung downward. Leon barely got his block up in time to avoid the one-handed swing. His teeth ground in frustration as he was forced to his knees by his opponent's superior physical strength.

Leon rolled to the side, causing Gabe to stumble forward as his swing continued on its original arc. Leon took this chance to thrust forward with his sword. Gabriel smashed his feet back into place on the ground, holding up his free arm to catch the wooden sword on the back of his hand. He swatted the bokuto away, coming back around with a one-handed horizontal slash. Leon leaned his head back, as the blade sliced through the air above his nose.

Now he was sure he recognized this style of swordplay. 'I'm sure Muramasa-chan trained him in Muramasa style Bushido. So why is he fighting like Malus?' These thoughts in mind Daniel thrusted back in forcing his opponent back a step. He then struck out with an obvious overhead chop that Gabe easily caught on his sword.

"It's over." He muttered as he smashed his palm into Daniel's stomach. "Devil Dynamite!"

Silence insued for a few minutes as the two boys stayed in this pose. They soon realized that nothing was happening. No explosion that would hopefully just send the red haired teen flying into the wall. Not a spark, not even a puff of smoke.

"You've got to be kidding!" Gabe called out in shock as he stared at his bandaged hand as if it had betrayed him. He immediately dropped his sword and placed one hand on top of his other hand. "Longinus!" Still nothing. The red energy blade did not appear. "Why is this happening?" His wavelength abilities had abandoned him.

"I don't understand it either, but that isn't what I'm concerned about at the moment." Gabe lifted his eyes only to see a racing fist come speeding toward him.

Gabe fell back as Leon's punch knocked him off his feet. He looked up in confusion as Leon glared daggers at him. "Why were you copying Malus for this duel. That last attack proved you were trying to simulate his fighting style." Gabe remained silent and he refused to meet Leon eye to eye. "Do you think me so pathetic that I would find you a suitable replacement for killing your brother?" He demanded.

"I just…" Gabe muttered. "I just wanted to apologize for what happened to Fauna." Gabriel then surprised Leon further as he rose onto his knees only to lower his head almost to the ground. "I'm sorry! What happened to Fauna and the others was my fault. I should have been there. I'm so sor-." Leon suddenly grabbed the sobbing teen's shoulder, forcing him to raise his head.

_Smack!_

Gabe said nothing more after Leon's hand smashed into the side of his face.

"If you say anything more, I will kill you!" He snarled. "You are not allowed to do this in front of Hana and Rosa, do you understand?" Leon now had Gabriel by the collar. "I don't want those two to worry as the recover. I've have shed my tears over Fauna and I know they will shed even more. You acting pathetic and weeping will not lessen their pain." Leon then released the staring Gabriel. He then retrieved his jacket and walked to the door. "You must stand with your back straight from here on out." He called from the door. "Understand that to us in Diablon, you are a pillar of strength. Your strength of will is all we needed to give us courage. If you become a simpering coward, and take the smiles off of Miss Roger's and the other's faces." He pointed his Bokuto directly at Gabriel, his usually calm, intelligent eyes now glowing with deadly intent. "I will gut you." He slammed the door of the dojo behind him with a "bang!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

For almost an hour, Gabriel sat there, pondering Leon's words, until he heard the door open once again. He turned to see KID watching him from the doorway, his eyes partly concerned but also a bit on guard, as if Gabe would change again at any moment.

"Walk with me." He commanded, gesturing outside. Gabe felt he didn't have much of a choice. He followed the Shinigami out as the two made their silent way through the streets of Death City. Soon, they had entered one of the more bustling areas, where families and store owners had returned to find their homes and shops in shambles.

Gabe felt glares stab into the back of his head. 'Looks like a lot of people recognize Malus's face.' He observed.

"A good many parts of Death City have been heavily affected by the battle, as things are, we may need to shut down the academy for awhile and use it as a shelter. Ah, here they are." KID exclaimed as Soul, Maka, and strangley enough, Mori, walked toward them.

Gabe and Mori immediately sized each other up, glaring cautiously at one another. The only time they had actually interacted with each other, was when Mori tried to recruit Gabe for the Bios and Gabriel flatout turned him down. Gabe noticed that the older man was now walking with a limp, his cane supporting him. He also had seemed to hold his side as if it pained him.

Mori then seemed to take a sharp intake of breath and bowed, stunning the surprised Gabe.

"For saving my children. I thankyou. Truly, thankyou." Gabe was awed how this proud seeming man had just prostrated himself to Gabriel, but Gabe's expression sullened.

"If you want to thank someone, thank Xeal and Phoenix, they actually saved one of your men. I only stood there and watched one of them die." Gabe clenched his fist at his side.

Mori understood. "Sho was always my most reckless soldier. He believed mainly in his own beliefs, he cherished his comrades above all else and would do anything to protect them." Mori's gaze then fell on KID ,Maka and Soul with a knowingly smile. "From what I'm told, you and he are very much alike." Gabe blinked in surprise at this. Mori offered his hand out to the Devil Buster. "I cannot think of anyone better to inherent his will. It is an honor, to work alongside you this time."

Gabe just stared at the offered hand, clearly put off guard by the kind words. He accepted the handshake cautiously. "Thankyou."

"If that concludes our business Shinigami-sama, I wish to return to my men." KID nodded, prompting Mori to bow in respect and walk off back into the mustling city streets.

"Well, now that that's out of the way. Gabriel…" By the look in KID's eyes Gabe knew what he wanted to discuss.

"Right. I owe you all an explanation." He started, rubbing the back of his uncomfortably.

"You could start by explaining who that was kicking our butts across the desert." Soul said. "Black Star and Tsubaki informed us that thing appeared after Malus just ripped his own soul out of his chest right in front of all of you."

Gabriel gripped his shirt in anxiety as the words came out of his mouth. "That was Ymir. One of two ancient arch-fiends that are the source of his and my powers."

He didn't look up but he knew they were all staring at him, shocked. He knew he could not stop now so he continued. "These two are ancient Kishins who lived years before Asura, maybe even before the original Shinigami. I don't know why or how, but they somehow channeled large amounts of their soul wavelengths into two items called the Eye's of Surtyr and Ymir which were implanted into Malus and me when we were young."

"Eyes?" Maka asked, looking into his maroon orbs. Gabe waved her investigation away.

"Eyes are just a name for the objects because a flash of light can be seen coming from the vessel's eyes when they use a large amount of power. The eyes are actually a pair of pearl like jewels that are surgically implanted into the user's chest and before you even think of calling Stein, it can't be removed. After seventeen years it's sewn itself into my soul, removing it, would mean death."

The adults looked to each other, clear uncertainty on their faces. "Is their…any chance of your arch-fiend getting loose like Ymir?" Soul asked nervously.

Gabe's gaze strengthened. "None that I would allow. Surtyr only wants to turn this world into a wasteland, devoid of any life. You know I would never want that." His stern gaze reminded them of when he declared he would end Ymir's evil plans, and the pride they felt for him.

"We believe you Gabriel." Maka said, taking his hand in her own and giving him a reassuring smile.

"But…" KID stated getting the teen's attention. "Do we need to take any further… precautions for any future rampages?" He asked. Strangely enough, Gabriel began to chuckle.

"No, I hope not. We probably don't even need to take any of the previous measures." The three cocked their heads in confusion. Gabe removed one of his gloves, revealing the black fingertips. Maka gasped. "It's the same for my entire arm down to the elbow. It's funny really, I figured with Malus gone I'd finally be able to relax for real. To know what it truly means to be calm." He clenched his hand into a fist. "But I'm still as angry as ever and now I can't even get a spark. Thomas said I could be "well-done", but seems at the moment I'm more "burnt-out".

"Damn." Soul muttered. KID uncomfortably began to scratch his head. Clearly, he did not expect this.

"So, what will it be?" Gabe asked, returning focus back to himself. "You throwing me in the hole, boss?" He put his hands into his pockets and put on an unconcerned face, though internally, he was very nervous.

KID seemed to ponder this for a moment. His eyes took on an analytical quality, as if he was measuring the pros and cons concerning Gabriel's freedom. "Gabriel…" The stern way KID said his name caused Gabe to flinch abit. "Though your aid in these recent battles have been invaluable. Your past transgressions overrule your benefits."

Gabe felt his spirits sink ever lower with each word. "You are rash, insubordinate, have a tendency for causing major collateral damage, you have no respect for the fine miracles of symmetry…" The list went on.

KID then sighed as an annoyed look crossed his face. "But if I were to victimize you for these faults, I would have to do the same for many of my subordinates. Black Star, Soul and Maka included." The married veterans blanched at this. "Which is why, I've decided to give you one last chance." The reaper put up a finger so Gabe could appreciate the situation further. The devil buster, however, just stood there, a shocked look on his face.

"But this will be your last chance." KID repeated sternly. "This is in fact the eighth time I've let your antics slide since you joined Shibusen nearly a decade ago." Gabe wasn't sure what he was more shocked by, KID had actually gave him another chance or the fact that he had actually kept track. "So, I will not be giving you a ninth chance. I mean…I just… couldn't!" The reaper suddenly gripped his head almost in terror. "There's nothing symmetrical about nine at all. Not vertically, not horizontally. And if you turn it upside down it becomes..six!" The reaper suddenlt convulsed just at the mere thought, his face suddenly falling to the ground in a daze and a stream of froth leaking from his mouth.

Gabe, Maka and Soul just stared in shock at their "Employer's" prone state on the ground. Maka broke the silence first. "I guess that's just KID's akward way of saying, he'd feel bad if he'd have to banish you."

"Does this mean?" Gabe couldn't even suppress his hopes.

"We'll be keeping an extra eye on you from now on." Soul started but then gave one of his famous toothy grins. "But you still have our trust."

Gabe had to pull the rim of his hat down to hide the wide grin spreading across his face. "Well you better get going." Maka suggested. "Hisako called us and said you were planning a brunch for everyone. You know how I like my omlettes?" Maka said with a wink.

"Remember, I like my bacon extra crispy." Soul chuckled.

"Make…sure…my hot cakes… are symmetrical." KID got out before he fell unconscious again.

"I'll make it in the shape of an eight if you like!" Gabe ran off then a big smile on his face and a spring in his step. "Thanks again guys!" Maka and Soul chuckled at the sight of the formerly shy, nine year old boy, now seventeen, they had adopted from that orphanage and the flame of will, returning to his soul.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gabe ran for several blocks to get to the market. He soon realized he was in a completely deserted part of town. He checked all directions, making sure he was still out of earshot of anyone. He then threw up his arms and called out as loud as he dared.

"I am out bitches!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Vreet! Vreet!_

"Emm?" Allison Rogers slowly opened her eyes, at the sound of a smoke alarm suddenly going off. She saw smoke coming through the crack in the bedroom door and the smell of cooking was in the air.

"Ah dammit!"

"Gabriel?" Allison threw the covers off and slid from the big four poster bed, a slight blush entering her cheeks as she wondered how she had gotten into the bed in the first place. She could hear scrambling outside of her door.

"Shut up damn you! Allison's trying to sleep!" She giggled as Gabriel bickered with the smoke alarm. She opened the door and stepped out into a cloud of smoke.

"Caff! Caff!" Allison choked on the fumes as the smoke rushed to meet her.

"Allison?" Gabriel called, she could barley make out his shuffling foot steps as he came toward her.

"I'm over here." She held out her hand, hoping to take his so they could escape the cloud of death.

"Hang on just let me turn the stove off!" His shuffling receded abit but he soon returned, taking her hand as they escaped back into his bedroom. (Don't get excited.)

The two plopped down on the floor, taking great in takes of the, mostly, clean air. Allison looked into Gabriel's panting face and he into hers. The two instantly broke out laughing. There bodies shook with laughter until they were coughing for air all over again.

"Guess my cooking still needs work." He stated with a grin.

"No." Allison assured him. "I love your cooking, I'm sure it will still taste good, even a little burnt."

'A little she says.' "Oh, before I forget!" He was suddenly at her side, resting his head atop hers. "Good morning."

"Tee hee (gag!). Good morning." She agreed. 'He's seems lively, that's great!'

"I'm sorry for making you worry and causing you to loose sleep." He whispered as he began to apologetically rub the back of her head.

"It's alright. I'm just glad that you're awake." She assured pushing him back so she could look him in the eye. She then noticed the gloves on his hands.

"Are your arms still…"

His smile fell for a second. "Oh, yeah there still a little crispy. But no worries." He smiled.

"Gabriel." She said a little sternly. "I know when you're lying to me."

He blinked in shock. "How?"

"When you lie, I can see a quiver in your eyes and a disturbance in your breathing."

"Impressive." He said with a raised eye brow. 'She is a martial artist after all.'

"So. What is it?"

"Umm." He rubbed the back of his head nervously. However, he could not stay silent under her lovely blue eyed gaze. "You might have some troubles with me as your weapon after all." Allison cocked her head in confusion. "My wavelength is gone. And, I suspect, my ability to resonate as well."

Allison gasped in shock. "Are you feeling alright!?" She immediately started looking over his face, believing she might find some kind of physical evidence of his sudden power loss.

"I'm fine, really. Actually I'm a little relieved." He stated. "Now that I can't resonate I don't have to worry about that ever happening again."

"That?"

"My powers overwhelming your mind. I hurt so many others thanks to my powers instability and it scares me to death, thinking the thing inside me might do something horrible to you when we reson-! Ack. Hey, that hurts!" Allison had cut him off, grabbing him in a cheek pinch.

"Gabriel, what is it that I keep reminding you not to forget?"

He didn't know what to say at first. But then he remembered the last time they were in this position. "Never make you worry."

"That's right." She smiled and released him.

"But you saw it didn't you, what I can really do, what I can become?" He asked, a trace of fear heavy in his voice.

"I saw you trying your hardest to save the city, even if a lot of other people were more concerned with how you looked while doing it. I'm sure even they will come around, eventually." She said the last part with the biggest reassuring smile he'd seen all day. She suddenly reached for his cheeks again. He flinched as her finger wrapped about his face.

"Smile." She giggled. She had pulled the sides of his mouth up, causing his face to form a goofy grin. "I worry the most when you're worried, so smile and I won't worry.

Gabriel touched his cheeks as she released him, red blush warming his face. "Wow." He started chuckling again. "There it is." He muttered. Allison cocked her head in confusion and gasped as Gabriel pulled her head in against his chest. "That's the reason I fell for you so easily. Your heart is so big, so accepting. That heart of yours has seen all the worst secrets I have and yet, not once have you ever stepped back in fear. You always come rushing to my side, whether to comfort me or to scold me. I love that about you, more than anything else."

Allison blushed a deep red as she could not but help sit up to stare into his warm, red eyes. "Really?"

"Heh, baka." He planted a kiss on her cheek as he pulled her back in. "Of course."

For several minutes, the two just sat there, enjoying the closeness of their warm embrace. Until…

"Caff! Caff! Oi! Are you trying to feed us burnt eggs Gabe?!" Wu's loud, irritating voice could be heard from the kitchen, where smoke still seemed to linger.

"Sigh. He had to come barging in. If you'll excuse me." Gabe rose to his feet, pulling Allison up with him. "You try to cook for almost two dozen people and not burn something!" Gabe called back out as he opened the bedroom door.

"Hm?" Sora noticed Allison follow Gabe out the door, a smile on her face. "Ooh. And what were you two up to?" She asked coyly.

"No-nothing!" Allison sputtered in denial. The smile returned to her face as she watched Gabe argue with more of their friends over the ruined state of their brunch. She saw the new vitality channeling through her dear partner's eyes and her thoughts traveled back months before, to that chance encounter in the park beneath the academy.

_You know Gabriel. There are a lot of things I like about you too._

_Whether it's your honest, and sometimes naïve, viewpoint._

_Or your strong and protective heart._

_But I think the thing I love most is your desire to be accepted despite how you act. When you offered me your hand that day, I saw it then too. The tremble in your eyes. I knew immediately, that you desperately wanted to belong, to feel truly accepted._

"You do realize this is going to take you hours to prepare right?" Sakuya asked.

Allison rolled up her sleeve and took ahold of one of the burnt frying pans. "Well then, the fastest way is for us to help out as much as we can."

"OH GOD! DON'T YOU DARE!" They all screamed at once, save Gabriel who graciously took her hand in thanks.

_I knew from that day, I wanted to be, your place to belong. _(I know, corny, but sweet.)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_**Five nights prior to Gabe's awakening, high above the clouds**_

Plaguea Ringrose gazed down at the corpse and debris strewn desert battle field. The life's blood of countless machines, Chimerae and the unlucky Shibusen meister's and weapons had turned the bright orange ground to a disturbing shade of red. Though this battle had not ended in her favor, her expression remained calm.

Suddenly, her centipedal mount became reckless as another of its bretheren drew near. Plaguea knew of only one of her disfigured spawn to cause this much unrest in her beast.

"Greetings, mother." Lodged into the great serpentine body, rested a bulbous, insectile head, it's long dreadlock like tendrils probing into the stolen body, right where its neck would be.

"Peccatum, it's quite rare to see you in such a state." The witch ignored the beast's blasphemous title for her; she had designed it to be intelligent as much as it was powerful. Its crude humor was just something she was forced to put up with.

"Indeed. There are some quite impressive beings in this city. The campaign has failed then?" It asked, not really caring, it would find a new killing ground regardless of its creator's wishes.

"No."

"Forgive me, but curiosity was also implanted into me aswell, have we not suffered serious losses. My bretheren have nearly been wiped out. And with Hausen dead…"

"Do not concern yourself with the good doctor." Plaguea cut him off. "We still have a vast supply of Mori's machines as well as Hausen's precious white blood. Our forces remain strong…despite our losses." At this, Plaguea reached into her long sleeves, pulling out a gray, gold-lined soul with red tipped wings. She stared into the orb longingly as her eyes filled with remorse.

Her mount suddenly squawked in fright as a black comet suddenly erupted from the cloud cover beneath them. The comet circled overhead for a few minutes before coming to a stop above the hovering Peccatum. The comet dispersed into black flames as its owner lighted gently onto the beast's back.

"I have returned, Plaguea-sama." Kei declared, falling to his knee like a knight greeting his lady. "I thank you for allowing me free reign to participate in this battle."

"Hmph. What kind of subordinate ask to side against his master?" Peccatum growled with disgust. "And what is that ugly thing in your hands?" Peccatum was speaking of the black bundle held securely in his arms.

Kei removed his mask, prompting his green eyes to turn brown as his black hair and armor dispersed like his ride, revealing a boy of college age with brown hair. "I have no explanation I need to make to murderous scum." He snarled back to his hated ally.

"Now now you two, no bickering." The witch hushed the two. "Was your time amongst our enemies profitable, Kei-kun?"

Kei unfurled his bundle, revealing a tattered black overcoat. "More enlightening than profitable, ma'am." He slipped the jacket over his shoulders where it rested perfectly, as if it was always meant to be their. "What now for the campaign."

"Patience." She chuckled, gesturing to a hovering, fly-like chimera to come her hand. In its mouth, a clear, blue soul. "Even with defeat, there is, opportunity."

**Done! The first season is officially over. The second movie, titled, Duel of the War Demons will begin soon. And guess what, instead of a boring trailer, my movie will be previewed by a bonus chapter to set the story.**

**Shinigami (The first): And I'll be in it. Victory! Victory!**

**Till then!**

**Please review.**

**I need a freaking coffee. Bob!**


	42. Very late OC Guideline

(Very late) guide lines for submitting oc's.

**Okay, so, I completely forgot to make one of these things when I said I was going to take ocs and that's probably why I get so few ocs and I only get them from the same old couple of jokers (No offense, Spartan and A.D.) So here you go.**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**First off, obviously: Meisters and Weapons/ Bios and Mori's Army. (I know I already broke the rule about not accepting any more members to Diablon when I made Spartan's Xeal and Phoenix part of the main team, in fact, a certain character was kicked to a different role because of this, but this time I'm serious. However, the Bios are still in need of members, where they came from, I'll leave up to you guy's.**

**Name: (First, last, middle just for kicks)**

**Type: Meister, Bios, Mori's army or weapon, or autonomous weapon(note: I suggest you make most Bios submits autos otherwise there wont be much difference between them and the Shibusens. Also, since pairing up different peoples ocs is Cspacian's thing, I suggest you have your own pairs ready.)**

**Appearance: Outfit, physical appearance, weapon form(This is one of the parts I most enjoy, its always fun to read everyone's character designs. I ask that you refrain from too many audacious fashion styles unless its corolates to there personality, case in point: Cosplaying otaku Sora, I know I haven't run that gag in forever, I'm not actually comically inclined. Also, I want you to be specific with there weapons forms don't just tell me what kind of weapon they are, what do you want them to look like. What is the shape of the guard if sword, how intricate is the axe's blade, does their gun have any custom parts? Plus if you submit a weapon Bios try to use unique, almost unconventional weapons. Note: if you send in a gunblade, and I can feel it comin like the wind, make them different than what you see in videogames.)**

**Personality(Also fun. Are they a flirt, brood, clown, shy? Give me something I haven't tried yet! Not really, but be descriptive.)**

**History: (I got to tell you the truth, I can't promise I'll use their history that often, but if you want to, this is optional.)**

**Fighting Style: (My absolute favorite part. Believe it or not there are a hundred different ways to swing a sword or throw a punch, so I suggest you research just how you want your character to fight. This could also corolate to their gestures or habits while fighting, such as when Gabe's throws his coat away or when Thomas spins on his heels after his round house kick.)**

**Hissatsu Waza: (You guys know I have a manga-esque writing style so whether you give them one or a dozen special attacks, I don't care, MORE FUN FOR ME!)**

**Mori's army: (Now I bet you're wondering what this is, well the Bios are not Mori's only troops, though they may be the ones that get the most face time. These could be mechanics for the robots, though I don't think Shibusen's going to have that many robot troops, troops who specialize in using and gathering magic tools, you decide!)**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Kishins/ Witches (The main villains of the Soul Eater series, even if they get merely a back seat to the main plot, I promise I'll give them a battle to the fullest of their ability. And if I like them enough, I might give them a more main role ;) )**

**More or less the same for Appearance, personality, history and fighting style.**

**Spells: (What's a witch without magic, a chick in a mildly trashy outfit I suppose. Make sure their spells correlate to the creature, or really anything they represent.)**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Chimerae/ Automatons (The new enemies of Shibusen led by the cunning Plaguea Ringrose and you guys get to help me design them.)**

**Mechs.( I nkow this is new for Soul Eater, but I think it works for a "set years after the main story fic" like mine. All you guys need to do is design their appearance, their personal weapons, tell me whether these are bots that attack in swarms or alone, give them an interesting name, not just some cereal number. Dazzle me (gag! Why did I say that?))**

**Chimerae: (Plaguea is a witch that specializes in the creation of her own personal beast army so I'm sure you guys can only imagine what else she's made. Welp, come up with it yourself. Peccatum, my pretty much favorite chimera was designed by my friend Aldous Dragon so I can't wait to see what diabolical nightmares of your own imaginations you guys have in store for me)**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Now this last one is really important, and I hope to get as much help with this as possible, I want, you guys, the viewers, to design the villains of my new movie fic, I already have the Main villain thought out, he will be revealed in my preiew chapter next time, so I just need you guys to design who the Diablons and Bios have to fight through to get to him.)**

**Concept: I would like these Kishins (yes Kishins if you don't mind) to be based off of mythological beings like deities and figures. This doesn't mean you guy's need to be sending me godly level foes that kinda depreciate villains like Asura, also, I want you guys to be unique in your designs, no Zeuses, Thors, or Herculeses, put some real thought into this. Use guys you suspect most people haven't even heard of and from rarely explored religions and cultures. (Again this is only a suggestion, what I want most is for you guys to have fun and to get as excited as I do when my ocs appear.) Also don't spend any time on history, slight spoiler but lets just say all these guys are going to come from a single source.**

**They will be known as the War Kishins and I need at least… under ten, but more than five.**

**As always, have fun with it, and I'll see you at the movies. By the way, my second movie will appear under the fic for my first, don't worry I'll update everything before then.**

_**Update as of January 14th: **_

_**Happiness, laziness, lust, pride and lonliness can no longer be emotions represented by a War Kishin. I will update this as emotions are called until I reach a suitable quota.**_

**Seacrest, out! (Looks at Gabe covering his face in exasperation. Suddenly realizes.)**

**Crap! I ain't Seacrest. I'm the one and only Despicable D! And I'm out Bitches!**


	43. Special Chapter

**Soul Eater Fury Movie 2: Special Chapter**

**The Titanic Battle Lost in Time**

_**Death City (Several centuries ago)**_

Located in the still to be unexplored land that would eventually become known as the United States, in a small, desert strewn, land locked area that would someday be called Nevada, and within its most vast desert, stood a lone mountain that swirled up like a near perfect cone. Built into the mountains top, was a vast castle.

Spires tipped with flames pointed at opposing angles from the castle's base. A long stairwell traveled from the castle's courtyard all the way to the bottom of the mountain. And looming above all, like the all seeing face of a great deity, was the castle's awe inspiring body, modeled into the disturbing image of a glaring skull.

As one climbed the uncountable stairs and entered the great courtyard, they would only be met with the groans of the dying, the moans of mourning and the lingering stench of Death. Whispers filled the great yard as its occupants recounted the battle that transpired. The battle that would change history as they knew it. The battle where their ever frightening lord, a being heralded as the God of Death, was forced to strike down a foe that stunned even him. The great traitor, titled Kishin.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Now, we must travel deep into the depths of this imposing castle. Beyond its great hallways, mighty training grounds and crucifix strewn throne room. Down to a room that made up the very core of the mountain. A room dominated by a giant statue. At one time this statue may have been of a great deity, but now it had become twisted and corrupted by its imposing roommate.

Hanging by chains that ran from the rooms tall ceiling, hung a great mass of pale white material, molded into a tear drop like shape. Upon its face, written in a red as deep as blood, three penetrating eyes glared out at the room's single, stoic occupant.

Bearing a mask that was an exact replica of the castle he ruled over and wrapped in an inky black cloak that seemed to squeeze his form ever thinner the farther down it wove around his body, was the lord of this castle, the Grim Reaper, Death.

"How did it come to this, Asura?" The already ancient Shinigami asked the lifeless flesh prison that held his once most powerful retainer. Death could still feel the very human stab of pain ache across his form. So powerful did the so meager looking Asura become that he could even hope to best Death himself.

"What drove you to surrender your humanity my friend? Is fear all it takes? What were you so afraid of that you would devour human souls as well as your own partner, Vajra?" Death contemplated this ever since he had successfully struck his mad ex-comrade down and wrapped him in a prison of his own skin. Soon, he realized that he was no longer alone in the great hall.

"Lord Death, I have urgent news." The shinigami turned toward the dry voice. Standing directly behind was another of his loyal vassals, a man wrapped in the red and black cloak of a scholar with long, razor like fingers strewn from his sleeves and an iron face mask in the style of a knights helmet, the great wizard, Eibon.

Not waiting for his lord to ask. "It is Indra my lord."

Death turned all the way around at this. "What of Indra? Speak Eibon, don't hold me in suspense!"

"It maybe best, for you to see for yourself." The wizard turned on his heel, the black robed Shinigami right behind him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Many soldiers suddenly stood erect in salute of the nearing Shinigami as he surveyed the sudden devastation. Bodies, bloody and beaten to a point near irrecognizable, were laid out about the torn up and cracked courtyard, and unlike the many dead from the battle against Asura, these corpses were fresh.

Whispering filtered from the men as they surrounded the broken bodies of their comrades. All pertaining to the same individual.

"General Indra has gone mad!"

"He slaughtered each of these trained elites without batting an eye."

"Didn't these men work under him directly?"

"This does not bode well." Death muttered as Eibon led him to the descending stairs where a crowd had begun to gather, all staring down toward the stairs direct bottom. The crowd parted as the reaper drew near, giving him the room to reach the front of the crowd where another of his loyal retainers waited.

"Excaliber. What is happening? Where is Indra?" As always, the little white creature wore his signature white clothes and tall hat(Whenever anyone asked why he wore that, he would reply that he was just ahead of his time and that his attire would be the fashion of centuries to come).

"He is there reaper." The holy sword replied with much less respect than Eibon had. "He is having another of his unsanctioned duels."

"Duels?" The reaper said almost in outrage. "Look at this devastation! These men were among the very soldiers he had trained and lead. These men saw him as a father and you are telling me he ripped them to shreds during a duel!"

"That is exactly what happened." The holy sword impetuously pointed his white cane at the reaper. "And now we must leave it to another of his students to stop him."

"What?!" The reaper then turned his attention to the two figures squaring off in the grounds beneath the tower. Of all Indra's students there was only one who could have excelled over the others and be a match for the man who was given the title, Bushin. But the truth was far too cruel. "You can't mean, Agni?!"

Excaliber remained silent but the increasingly tight grip he put on his cane revealed his distress clearly.

"We must put an end to this at once?!" One of the gathered soldiers cried, trying to push past the others. He was quickly halted by the sudden appearance of a white cane in his path.

"Fool! Even if you had any hope of stopping this, I would still not let you pass." The holy sword declared. "Any of you."

"But General Indra and lord Agni are-!"

"And that is exactly why Agni begged me to not let anyone through. This is a fight between Meister and Weapon. Nay! Brother against brother!" A small tear had begun to form in the normally expressionless sword's eye. "What right do we have to interfere?"

Shinigami understood Excaliber's words well. Still, of all people to have to fight each other to the death.

Agni. Loyal and courageous Agni. A death weapon said to rival the reaper's own scythe in power. Fighting the ambitious yet kind hearted Indra. A meister who could have given Asura a run for his money. These two were an unbeatable team as meister and weapon. And the brotherly bond the two shared was an example to all of the Shinigami's troops.

"Of all people to have to fight each other, why them?" The man who had tried to break past Excaliber earlier now had tears in his eyes, as did the rest of his fellow soldiers.

"He has just never been the same…since her passing." Eibon stated as dryly as ever. The reaper nodded at his friends comment.

"Will it be sorrow that undoes you? Indra?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The anxiety! The anxiety would not go away. Agni could not help but grip his chest over the anxiety.

"Do I see you trembling, my friend?" The booming voice of his mad partner forced the death scythe of light to raise his head in attention.

"Don't do this Indra!" the weapon begged. "You still have hope! Face the judgment of the reaper and regain your humantity!" The larger man shook his head, an amused sneer across his face. He balled one of his hands into a fist and raised it near a stray stone fragment that stood next to him.

"You are naïve Agni. Why should I face the reaper's judgment when I am about to surpass him?" He struck the boulder with the side of his fist, a blow that could barely harm an untrained man. The rock fragment suddenly began to tremble and crack until it completely fell apart at Indra's feet.

The mad meister grin and raised his fist to the sky. An orb of inky violet began to rise around him. The surface of the orb seemed to bubble and froth like tar. "Asura had obtained a strength we could only dream of. Imagine what I could do once I obtain that power. And for that I need you, brother."

"Me?"

"Asura had become a foe like no other after he devoured his partner, Vajra. With you, a weapon that exceeded Vajra in everyway, not even the reaper would be able to stop _us!"_

"Us?"

Indra smiled, a warm brotherly smile and held his hand out . "Become one with me Agni. Together we can accomplish what we set out to do and rid this world of the evil that would steal everything from us. Let us obliterate it all!"

Agni shook his head violently. "What would Shachi think of you right now?! Do you think she would want her death to be what ends you?!"

Indra's face darkened. "It is pointless to argue brother. I will have your power at all cost. Whether you are with me or against me." Indra split his feet apart and brought his right fist back beside his head, with the back toward his head, and his left hand forward, palm out and turned with the thumb down.

"I see." Tears streamed down the weapons cheeks and were immediately turned to vapor as a golden-orange glow engulfed his body. He took a stance as well, an exact copy of Indra's own. "Then my dear master, I must stop you here and now and save your soul before madness can truly claim it."

The two men stared each other down. These two men, who met as master and pupil. These two men, heralded as the greatest meister and weapon pair. These two men, whose brotherly love exceeded blood. Of these two men, only one will walk away. Will it be the mad man once war god. Or the grief stricken weapon.

The two leaped toward each other as one. Their golden light and vilolet shadow covered fist meeting in midair, setting the sky ablaze.

"Aaaaaaaagggggggggnnnnnnnnnnn iiiiiii!"

"Iiiiiiinnnnnnnddddddddrrrrrr raaaaaaaaa!"

**Who will win? Find out the outcome of this legendary conflict in Soul Eater Fury movie 2: Duel of the war demons. And before anyone expects some M. Night Shamalan style ending, Indra will be the main antagonist of the movie, that doesn't mean Agni's role ends just yet, no far from it.**

**New rule for those who plan to submit War Kishin's. Each Kishin must have their own unique emotion that defines them, so before you send in ocs, pm or review to call dibs on what emotion you want so there's no mixups. Late!**


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